The Letter
by AngelZash
Summary: When Ed turns 18, a mission with Colonel Mustang becomes just the beginning of yet another adventure into insanity. But this time, he might just come out of it with more than he ever allowed himself to wish for. AU Roy/Ed. Uses both animes and the manga
1. Prologue

This is the prologue to a long FMA story. You can understand the story with or without this, but you'll eventually want to refer to it for a future scene in the story. ^_^

This is definitely RoyxEd, which I've discovered a weakness for. I don't usually write non-canon pairings (which they are, sadly enough), but I made an exception for these guys. ^_^ I also love Roy as a father figure to Ed, so maybe I'll write one like that later on. I think that's a bit more canon too.

Anyway, I've been working on this to avoid brain-fry at work, so I have to type in the chapters. I'll be trying to update this every few days to a week, so it won't die like my other stories. I'm also working on other original writing projects, so I might take longer to update. Just a warning to anyone who actually likes the story. Also, no beta, so hopefully my own edits will suffice.

So I hope you enjoy! And as usual, constructive criticism is always welcome!

Of course, FMA and all its charas do not belong to me. Sad, but true.

--Story Start--

Maes,

I have never been able to say this to you. I know you don't feel the same way, and I could never endanger our friendship that way.

Soon you will be married, and you look happier with every day that brings you closer to the moment you become a married man. Your eyes glow and your smile shines with a light that seems to shine from your very soul.

I could never mar such happiness, your happiness, with something like this. So I will never tell you. Not in this life.

If you ever read this, then I am dead, never to return either to my post or to you. For my final wish, I ask only that you do two things for me:

Be happy.

Remember I love you.

Yours forever,

Roy


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 with the Prologue since the prologue was so short. Enjoy!

--Story Start--

The birds chirped overhead, their insane morning calls drilling into Ed's sleep-deprived mind as the sun's light streamed in through a crack in the curtains, brightening the room to a light grey. Ed couldn't help thinking that meant that this was a day too bright to be perfect.

He rolled over onto his side and tried to muffle the sounds with his pillow, but they continued drilling into him and the air grew too hot to breathe. Still, Ed stubbornly clung to the idea that he could, just maybe, ignore the sounds and the light if he could only sleep.

"Come on, brother. I made breakfast and you have a meeting with the Colonel this morning, remember?"

Ed burrowed deeper into his covers in defiance of his brother's reason. He loved his little brother dearly, but he really wished Al wasn't so—so _reasonable_ at times. Somebody needed to be, but Ed also thought the morning was the absolute wrong time to be it. Mornings were too early.

There was a sigh, and the covers were torn away before Ed could even realize what was happening. Ed curled up tighter on the bed, actually grateful for the cool air that assailed his hot, sticky body despite the extra light. Then his pillow was torn from his fingers too, leaving Ed to growl up at the suit of armor that was his brother.

"Give me that back! I still have time!"

"No, you don't, Brother," Al sighed. He sounded exasperated already, though his armor remained as expressionless as always. "It's already nine. You have to be there by ten."

Ed scowled at Al for a moment longer and crossed his arms over his chest. He hated when Al was reasonable in the morning, but he hated when Al was right in the morning even more.

"Fine," Ed finally said with the hint of an expression that was half pout and half scowl. "What did you make for breakfast?"

"Eggs, ham, and I got some of those muffins you loved so much last week." Al clanked back over to where he'd left the food under the window. "I also picked up extras for everyone to eat at the meeting today."

"Why did you do that?"

"To be nice of course." Al shot Ed a look that Ed knew to be a stern glare. "They've always taken good care of us. You should show them a bit more consideration, Brother."

Ed gave an unrepentant snort and began hunting for some clean clothes to wear.

"Well, maybe Hawkeye, but not Mustang. He's just helping himself. We're only a means to an end for him."

"Brother," Al snapped in disapproval. "You know that's not true. He has always been very nice to us in the past."

Ed snorted and pulled on his pants. He tucked in his shirt, feeling a pang of guilt at the knowledge that Al was at least partially right. Even if the colonel did drive Ed nuts and tease him constantly, he did always watch out for them. He couldn't admit that though. Not out loud anyway. It would feel too weird, and Mustang was far too smug for such praise.

"He's still serving himself," Ed told his brother stubbornly. "We're side-effects. The means to an end: his rising to the top in the military."

Al brought his food over to him with another sigh of disapproval, but Ed knew he wouldn't pursue the subject any further today. He never did.

* * *

Roy stared at the orders in front of him in disbelief. It wasn't the fact that he was being given such a paltry undercover mission; that, he could understand if he read between the lines a little. It wasn't that he was to pretend to be in love with another, much younger, man either; it had been years since he'd had any kind of true reason for that to bother him. At most, the gender-specific lover made things slightly uncomfortable since it'd been years since he'd done anything with his own gender. No, what truly stopped Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist and national hero, in his tracks, was _who_ this supposed lover was going to be.

"Hey, boss," Havoc greeted him as he entered the room, his arms full of the papers and materials needed for the weekly meeting. He'd just recently taken over when Hawkeye had been promoted, for the second time in nearly as many years, and given Hughes' old job. "Nearly everyone's here and everything's ready. Should I ask the others to come in?"

Roy ignored the flash of pain that thinking about Hughes produced even still and looked up at his second. Havoc would be promoted before long, though Roy doubted he'd be promoted out of the office like Hawkeye had been.

"Everything alright?"

Havoc looked worried at Roy's lack of answer and Roy quickly nodded to reassure him.

"Has your promotion still not come in yet? I'm sure it's only a matter of time now," Havoc told him, seeming to think this the problem. He might have been right the day before, but not today.

"No, that's not it," Roy replied with a shake of his head.

Still, a hard, aching feeling crept over him at the reminder. All his years of service and now this. Was the military trying to push him away?

Havoc was right. His promotion was long overdue. Hawkeye had even been promoted three times since he had become a colonel. And to be ordered on this mission now…

He flipped the file in front of him closed and sat back in his chair. He met Havoc's questioning gaze with a cool one of his own, nearly smiling when the man turned to call the others into the room and almost dropped the last of the papers he held in the process.

Fuery, Falman, Breda, and the newest member of their team, Saxson, a young female Sergeant who barely looked old enough to apply to the military academy, filed into the room. Saxson placed a large box of donuts on the table before moving to sit next to Fuery, leaving plenty of room for the only absent team member.

She glanced nervously at the door, and Roy knew she was looking for Ed.

"Lieutenant, where is—" Roy began, but didn't get to finish as the door banged open to admit the very harried-looking person he'd been about to ask after.

"Fullmetal. You've finally decided to join us."

Ed scowled as he flopped down next to Saxson. He crossed his arms and legs in front of him, managing to somehow look both flustered and annoyed at the same time.

"I got caught by the secretaries again. Isn't there anyone else around here who can help them? And why don't they be more careful? It seems like anything that enters that office is doomed!"

Havoc snickered while Fuery and Falman shared an exasperated look. Breda laughed outright as Roy sighed. The secretaries had once done similar for him. Was he really getting that old?

His eyes flicked to Saxson to take in the jealous anger she was practically emanating. Hopefully, today wouldn't be the day she finally exploded. He could almost see the signs of her becoming like Hawkeye one day, and he'd prefer to have his office staff left in one piece when she did.

"I'll see what I can do," Roy told Ed drily, "but I doubt anything short of you showing up married will be of any help."

Ed and Saxson both looked over at Roy in surprise and, in Saxson's case, horror.

"Didn't you realize _why_ they're swarming you?" Havoc's tone was clearly incredulous.

Ed shook his head, blushing furiously.

"It doesn't matter," Roy broke in, any mirth he'd felt at his subordinate's situation clearing away as quickly as it had come. "It seems we have a new mission. Or rather, Fullmetal and I do."

The entire group looked sharply over at him, tension immediately stiffening their postures. It wasn't often that he was sent out on missions now, and to be paired with Ed on one like this…

"What? What mission?" Ed's eyes were wide with disbelief and a small amount of anger. "I'm supposed to leave tomorrow to investigate that lead you got for me in Trenoa."

Roy shook his head, feeling his own annoyed frustration rise up again. He picked up Ed's copy of the orders and stood. Moving around the desk, he tossed Ed the folder as soon as he was within reach of him for the heavy file.

"I just got the orders in today. It's an undercover mission which the Fuehrer himself has set us, so I can't say any more except we'll be leaving next week, the day after your birthday."

"What a birthday present," Breda commented.

"How old are you turning, Ed?" Saxson did an incredible imitation of a shy tone.

"Eighteen," Ed grumbled, staring at the folder in distaste.

"Awww! He's finally going to be all grown up," Havoc teased him with a good-natured grin.

"Yes, too bad he never managed to actually _grow_."

Roy just simply couldn't resist the barb at Ed's height; Ed was too much fun to tease! He smirked as Ed turned eyes of molten gold with anger on him.

"Who's so short babies are taller than him?!"

Roy continued smirking at the boy, feeling slightly nostalgic as he remembered the twelve year old who would have said that with much more fanatical fervor. Edward Elric truly was growing up it seemed.

"We'll need to put everything in order before I go. Anything that can't wait until my return, Havoc can take care of or give to Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye."

The team nodded, and then they spun into the logistics of the past week and the projected logistics of the coming weeks. Time passed quickly with so much to discuss due to Roy's newest mission and soon it was time for everyone to go back to their jobs.

"Fullmetal," Roy called. The boy, still a head shorter than Roy, turned to him. "A word about our mission?"

He looked as though he wanted to protest, but closed the door behind the others instead.

"What is it?"

Roy really did smile this time. Some things never changed, and he doubted Ed's lack of respect would ever be something that did.

"You won't be able to bring Al on this mission. I'll be asking Havoc to take him instead. It seems the dormitory is cracking down on its rules now, and I'm sure you don't want him to be alone while you're gone."

Ed scowled, but nodded, having finally learned when he could and couldn't fight something. Roy was glad his subordinate had learned that lesson, even if he disliked how Ed had had to learn it.

"I'd like to meet with you tomorrow to go over a few details as well. Be sure to have read the file by 13:00."

"Will Al be able to get into the Central Library while we're gone?"

Roy nodded, "I'll arrange for it to be sure, but I doubt anyone would even notice him. He's there with you so often anyway."

Ed nodded his thanks, his jaw clenched at the thought of owing anyone anything, even if it was just Roy. Or perhaps especially if it was Roy.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. And Happy Early Birthday," Roy told him.

"Thanks," Ed replied in a sullen voice, already turning to leave.

Once he had gone, Roy moved back over to his chair and let himself collapse into it. For a moment, he remembered the boy Ed had been and sighed at the feelings that swept over him.

"When did I get so old, Maes?"

Then, feeling silly at talking to thin air, he sat up and went back to work.


	3. Chapter 2

Hello again!

I think I'll try for Sunday updates… So definitely come checking about Sunday, possibly Saturday for an update. I'm in Japan and want to update sometime on Sundays Japanese time.

I do have several chapters written, so this won't end any time soon for anyone who was wondering! Plus the updates should be fairly regular for the foreseeable future. ^_^

I see I've gotten quite a few story alerts and one review. Thank you to you all! ^_^ I am wondering if this is a good thing, though, that it's only one review? Ah well, gonna write it either way and am very happy for the alerts and review. I hope everyone has been enjoying this so far! ^_^

Oh, and I just wanted to say, I'm dedicating this to a friend, windrider01 on LJ, because she's brilliant for my muse. Just brilliant anyway! ^_^

Enjoy!

~~Start Story~~

Ed watched in silence as the countryside sped past outside the window. Beside him, the colonel sat reading his paper. They'd left Central about five hours before, so Ed couldn't help wondering why Mustang hadn't finished yet. It wasn't like it was the Sunday edition! Or even the Saturday edition. It was the plain old, skinny Monday morning paper.

In an effort to ward off boredom _and_ to stop himself from glaring a hole in Mustang's paper, Ed checked his schedule for probably the fifth time in nearly as many minutes. Another hour and they'd be there. _Finally._

"Why don't you take a nap or read something?" Mustang's voice was only slightly irritated as he spoke, not bothering to glance up from his paper. "What do you usually do when you travel?"

"Play cards with Al or sleep," Ed grumbled. He wouldn't admit that he couldn't do either of those right now. Ed just didn't feel comfortable sleeping without Al there anymore, and he doubted Mustang would put down his paper for cards. (Who really wanted to play with _Mustang_ anyway?)

"Why don't you do that then?"

Ed snorted and shrugged, not wanting to explain. He could feel the man's eyes on him though, so he grumbled, "Why don't you put your paper down for once?"

He heard Mustang sigh, and then felt the man lean in close, wrapping him in the scent of cologne and a warmth that Ed would never admit as being nice.

"Try to look a little happier," Mustang told him softly so that only he would hear. "We're supposed to be running away together, remember?"

Ed snorted again, more softly this time. Who would believe he was running away with this guy?

"And don't forget to call me Roy."

Ed barely resisted glaring at the man as he growled, "I won't…Roy."

Ed felt Mustang linger a moment longer and knew he felt as unnerved at hearing Ed say his given name as Ed felt saying it. Still, Ed was glad they had managed to keep their first names. It made things easier to remember when he didn't have to worry about forgetting his name and screwing everything up.

Then Mustang was leaning back properly into his seat and folding up his paper, replacing it with a book.

Groaning, Ed went back to watching the world go by through his window.

The hour crawled by, but they eventually arrived. Looking around the small settlement, Ed wondered why they were there again. It seemed normal and peaceful enough. What made this case so different it required not one, but _two_ State Alchemists?

Of course, most of his adventures had started this way too.

Perhaps Ed should try reading his case files more thoroughly… Though, normally, he had Al around for taking care of stuff like that.

Ed picked up his bag, vowing to read through the file as soon as they were settled at the hotel, and began heading for the town. He stopped when Mustang's gloveless hand landed on his shoulder. Ed looked around at him in askance.

"Not there, Ed," he told him in a voice he'd never heard the other use before. It was sickly sweet and kind, something like a besotted lover's voice might be. It sent both a shudder down Ed's spine and a soft flush of embarrassment to his cheeks. "This way. We have to take a car there, remember?"

Mustang snatched Ed's luggage away from him and turned to make his way over to an old rust-lined car that looked like it was on its last leg. An old man sat slumped and sleeping behind the wheel. Ed found himself wondering which of the decrepit pair would fall apart first: the car or the man. He wasn't sure he wanted to be around to find out.

"Excuse me," Mustang called out as they drew close. "Are you the transport to Tramston?"

The old man cracked open one eye and turned his head to look at first Mustang and then Ed. A slow grin grew on his face, his eyes lighting with mischief as they both opened to stare at them properly.

"Yessir! I certainly am! Climb on in an' I'll take ya there," he said, his voice a bit wheezy but otherwise strong.

Mustang opened the back door and stepped out of the way to let Ed in first. He climbed in with only a small, token grumble, grabbing his suitcase back as he went.

"Now, now, love," Mustang chided him lightly as he sat beside him and closed the door. "We'll be there soon."

"Ahhh… Some don' travel that well," the older man chuckled as he started the car and began to drive.

"He was fine on the train," Mustang said, shooting Ed a look that promised retribution if he didn't straighten up.

Ed ignored it.

"That's because you were spending the entire time reading the same damn newspaper over and over again," Ed pouted.

He met the driver's pale blue eyes in the rearview mirror.

"He totally ignored me," he whined to the old man.

Their driver laughed and shot Mustang a look of mock reproach as he replied, "Well, he'll jes' havta make it up to ya tonight, won' he?"

"Yes, he will," Ed agreed, feeling triumphant even if it felt odd to be having such a conversation. He just knew the other man had to be fuming though, and that made it all worthwhile. "Won't you, Roy?"

Strangely, the look in Mustang's eyes was more calculating and surprised than annoyed.

"Yes. I will have to do that," Mustang nearly purred at him as he suddenly ran a light hand over Ed's closest thigh.

Ed jumped and stared wide-eyed at Mustang. Seeing the smirk on the man's face, Ed turned a hot scarlet and looked away, just barely noting the deepening sunset as he did so. The driver's laughter resounded in his head as Ed wondered what he had ever done to deserve this.

* * *

Roy honestly couldn't remember the last time he had seen Ed blush like this. If he ever had at all. Thanks to their driver's comments, the boy hadn't stopped blushing the entire ride to the small town they were going to be staying in. Unfortunately, it was dark by the time they had arrived, but as the innkeeper (who was also the bartender for the inn's pub) led them to their room, Roy could still see traces of it lingering over his cheekbones.

"You're such a cute couple," the innkeeper told them with a light smile, startling Roy out of his thoughts. "It's already late, so I'll send your dinners up to you. You can eat and rest up tonight. The mayor will want to meet you first thing tomorrow."

"The mayor? Why? Does he usually meet new residents?"

Roy was happy to see that despite his discomfort, Ed was still as sharp as ever. Then again, with all that Ed had done and survived, he'd be disappointed if it were otherwise.

"Yes, of course," the innkeeper told them. "We can't have just anyone moving into our little town. As you know, we're a little out of the ordinary. It'd be easy for someone to come here with the intention to abuse our open-minded policies. And the last thing we'd need is the military coming in to hunt down a criminal." He said this last with an obvious distaste that left Roy glad the innkeeper didn't know he and Ed were soldiers.

Nodding sagely in tacit agreement, Roy nearly groaned at Ed next question.

"Would it really be that bad?"

Roy glanced over to Ed at his question, but kept his eyes mainly on the innkeeper. So he didn't miss when the man shot Ed an irritated and suspicious look. Sighing, Roy resigned himself to damage control.

"You'll have to forgive my husband. He's a bit idealistic. It's a trait that I love about him, but it can still be irritating at times."

Ed gave a small growl, but Roy noticed he was wearing a look that was half pout. The look would have been cute on him if Roy didn't know it was born from the boy fighting a scowl and vitriolic rant.

Then Roy realized what he was thinking and shoved the unwelcome thoughts away.

The innkeeper, thankfully, looked much happier with them when he finally stopped in front of a room and turned to look at them.

"Thank you for your kindness in warning us," Roy told him sincerely. He wrapped an arm around Ed and pulled the boy in against his side. "We'll head over there first thing in the morning to introduce ourselves. I'm sure the mayor will find no fault with us."

At least he'd better not, given that it was his fault they were there to begin with.

The innkeeper nodded, his sharp eyes taking in Ed's stiff posture and renewed deep blush. Frowning, he looked back up at Roy, a calculating look in his eyes.

"We were not approved for being together by our families," Roy told him with a sigh that he quickly followed with a besotted, happy smile. "It will be nice to finally be able to let ourselves be more open with each other finally. We've had to hide it until now."

He felt Ed finally relax into his side and breathed a silent breath of relief.

"Yeah," Ed chimed in tightly, but still passably shy. "I'm not used to this yet."

This seemed to satisfy the innkeeper who pulled out a key from his pocket. He unlocked the door he was standing in front of, Room 205, and pushed it open.

"Until tomorrow then," he said with a friendly smile as he waved them in. "Sleep well!"

Roy reached out and caught the door as it began to swing shut. The innkeeper moved out of the way, and Roy shifted over to let Ed enter first. Ed did so, throwing Roy a scowl that deepened at the innkeeper's laughter. Roy followed him in, keeping one ear firmly cocked to listen to the innkeeper's retreating laughter as he returned to his bar below.

The door swung shut after Roy was inside and he flipped on the lights immediately after. Ed flung himself down on the sofa, somehow taking it up entirely despite being so small.

"I suppose you'll want the bed then?"

Ed's eyes looked like molten gold in the dim lamplight as he spoke. The boy stretched out like a cat and shut them in a huge yawn before looking back at Roy again, like a lazy lion dozing in the sun. If the sun was so dim as their cheap lamplight, that was.

Roy frowned at how Ed had said that so loudly and even simply assumed it to be true. He reminded himself that this was the first time Ed had ever been on a mission like this. Of course the boy would be making a few mistakes. Roy just had to see to it that Ed didn't make too many or too fatal mistakes.

"No. We'll both be sleeping in the bed. After all, we're finally able to be together now," he told Ed with a slight smirk. His smirk grew at the sight of Ed's confused look that swiftly changed into one of annoyance. He found it both disheartening and satisfying to know that he'd been able to protect Ed from the world at least enough that he didn't suspect everything at all times quite yet.

Pulling a chair right up against the end of the sofa by Ed's head, Roy sat gingerly, his muscles screaming after such a long ride in the unyielding train car seats, and leaned down closer to Ed.

"Remember our mission," he told Ed softly. "We have to keep up the pretence at all times. So lower your voice and get close to me when you refer to our actual relationship."

Why did that statement send shivers down Roy's back? This wasn't Ishbal, where those shiver had been great indicators of danger. This was only Ed in a tiny, backwater town. No serial killer would ever get the better of Colonel Roy Mustang here!

Ed scowled up at him with another blush (When had the boy started blushing so much?), but nodded anyway.

"Have you ever shared a bed with anyone before?"

"With Al," Ed snapped. "Who else would I share one with?"

Roy raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment. He really should have guessed it anyway. After all, Ed couldn't identify the attention the secretaries and Saxson gave him.

"I think it may be about time you started dating," Roy told him. "You'll find a whole new world out there if you do."

Ed glared at him for several long moments.

"I don't have time. I still have to fix Al."

Roy shrugged. It was a shame for Ed to close himself off like this, but Roy could understand it. He even admired it in a strange sort of way. However, it also saddened him for another vastly different reason.

He'd once felt love like the one Ed felt for his brother. It was, and had been, a love that transcended the physical and found its way into his mind and soul as well as his body and heart. Roy only hoped that Al realized just how lucky he was.


	4. Chapter 3

Well, I'm back! And I'm making some changes to the story in a couple of the later chapters, so I just thought I'd warn you that one or two might go up on Monday instead. Other than that... Here's Chapter 3!

Warning: There are discussions of experimentation for male pregnancy. No actual mpreg, though. _ If_ there is any of that, it will occur very far down the line here. We're no where near the point of an actual mpreg for this story. Just the experimentation and discussion of it. ^_^

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or put an alert on this story! I'm glad you're enjoying! I'll be trying to respond to the reviews today, and then I'll get some more typed up on this story. As much as possible so as to avoid a delay in future posting. ^_^

As always, constructive criticism is not only welcome, but cherished! Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Ed had never seen the point of being nice to people you don't like for no reason. Wasn't it just better to avoid them and therefore avoid the temptation to punch their face in? However, others obviously did not share this view.

The mayor looked at Mustang for the first time with disdain in his eyes despite the contrasting broad smile he was pasting onto his face. Then he saw Ed slip in after Mustang, and something like surprise stopped him, washing the disdain away in a flood of surprise. After that, he stared at Ed for so long that Ed finally shifted nervously, holding back an urge to hide behind his commanding officer.

Mustang also seemed to not like the Mayor's scrutiny of Ed. He stepped back and over, partially shielding Ed with his body from the other man's view. Looking up, Ed saw Mustang's lips thinned into the hard line that was reserved for when Mustang was really angry or annoyed at something. Not even Ed had ever managed in all the years he'd worked under Mustang to make him get this look more than once or twice before. This man had managed it in less than five minutes.

Ed looked back at the chubby mayor and wondered if he had missed something.

The door shut behind Ed, its click nearly as slow and soft as the movement on its tight hinges had been. The sound seemed to startle the mayor from a hard stare now directed at Mustang. He blinked for a moment before plastering a friendly smile on his face. He stepped forward and offered a hand to Mustang.

Mustang took it after another long moment of heated silence in which Ed wondered once again if he had missed something.

"I'm Oliver Cranning, the mayor of Tramston," he said, his voice low-pitched and smooth as velvet. He glanced over at Ed again, and Ed got the feeling of steak at a particularly fine restaurant.

He scowled back at the mayor until Cranning looked over at Mustang again.

"For now, I am Roy Masterson and this is Ed. We're from the army. We'll be posing as newlyweds to find out about your serial killer alchemist," Mustang told the man, his voice so low that Ed doubted anyone listening outside the room could hear. Cranning did, however, and he stiffened in surprise, his eyes flying between them nervously as Mustang continued, "What can you tell us about this case?"

Cranning swallowed hard and shrugged, apparently doing his best to appear nonchalant. He turned and made his way over to the lit fireplace to sit on a settee that looked as though it would barely fit two people. He waved at the chair in front of him casually.

"Have a seat? We might as well be comfortable."

Mustang followed him over and sat in the chair across from Cranning. Cranning looked over hopefully at Ed, but Ed moved to lean against the wall beside Mustang. He noticed Cranning's disappointed look and suppressed the shudder that brought up.

"He's an alchemist," Cranning finally said. "He slips his victims something in their drink or food, and then, within days we think, they're dead. He always seems to go for male couples that have recently come to town and have a large disparity in their age. It's the younger of the pair that he kills. The last victim was a 19 year old man who had just arrived here with his 36 year old husband."

"How does the poison work? And why does it have to be an alchemist doing all this?"

Ed moved forward as he spoke, but still found he couldn't bring himself to go near the odious man.

"Didn't you read the file before coming here?" The man sounded torn between derision and amusement.

Ed glared at him, wondering briefly if it counted as human transmutation to turn the pig into an actual pig.

"We prefer to hear all the details from you again," Roy said. "The personal touch cannot be underestimated, and it is sadly lacking in military reports."

Cranning sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"Whatever he gives them is somehow related to a change that occurs in their body. Apparently, they feel very tired, somewhat moody, and a bit sick just before he returns to activate whatever it is in person with alchemy. When we find the bodies, only traces of the chemical are present, which is more than what was noticeable before; traces of a alchemical circle, but not any symbols from inside it; and their insides… are… changed."

"Changed how?"

Ed leaned forward again, finally engrossed enough to forget being repulsed by the man, though his body remembered it enough to not actively move any closer.

Grinning, Cranning leaned forward as well, his eyes narrowing into the expression of a pleased predator. His fat face and piggy eyes somehow made the expression even more sinister than it should have been.

"Into women's."

Ed blinked and leaned back, looking over at Mustang. The man's lips were nearly nonexistent now, but his eyes were wide with surprise that mirrored Ed's own. This hadn't been in the file. Ed hadn't just missed it in his quick perusal of the case's information.

"What do you mean, 'women's insides'? And why wasn't this in the case file sent to the military?"

Ed had rarely heard that tone of voice, a harsh one which rolled gravely and nearly oozed danger, from Mustang. In fact, not since they had taken down the homunculi two years before. He looked back at Cranning, annoyed to see that the man was too stupid to realize what that tone meant.

Cranning frowned, glaring at Mustang for a moment before leaning back in his seat.

"He seems to be trying to create a fully functional womb inside a male body. It doesn't entirely work, though. In a few, the birth canal tried to attach to…" The man finally blanched as he realized what he was saying and he looked away. He gave a couple coughs before continuing. "Well, the wrong parts instead of something that might make sense, like the…" He waved a couple times at his backside. Ed thought he'd have preferred the other to have just said it. "And the parts that change to create the womb either don't leave enough of the original parts for the person to survive or they only half form the womb. They usually die of internal bleeding then."

Ed's thoughts flashed to his teacher, but moved on quickly to the horrifying realization of what Cranning was saying. He gasped and stared at the man as it finally began to dawn on him why he and Mustang had been chosen for this mission.

"They're trying to make a chimera of the genders!"

Beside him, he heard a sharp intake of breath as Mustang shifted, which was as close to a gasp that the man was likely to make with Cranning in the room.

Cranning nodded. "And a perfect one at that. They always seem to leave the male organs alone."

"I wouldn't call that perfect," Ed grumbled.

He swallowed, his mind spinning with the possibilities this could create for himself and Al. He looked over at Mustang who was staring back at him with an unreadable expression in his dark eyes.

"What leads do you have?"

Mustang's eyes didn't waver from his as he spoke, and Ed thought he might have actually seen a warning in them.

"Well, a witness said it was a young man. But that was all they could tell us."

Ed looked back at Cranning, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "This is a small town. Didn't they recognize who it was? Or notice that it was someone new?"

Cranning shrugged, looking a bit nervous finally under both Ed and Mustang's intense stares. "The man had been too busy trying to find a toilet to notice much else."

"Still," Mustang said, the frown clear in his voice even though Ed didn't look over to see it, "it wouldn't hurt to discreetly question him again. What was his name and where can we find him?"

"The graveyard. He died the night before last. Stabbed."

Ed started in surprise and wondered how anyone could have been so incompetent. Mustang would never have let that happen on his watch.

There was a faint growl from beside him and Ed turned to see Mustang's frown had become as deep as he'd ever seen. The man truly did not suffer fools any better than Ed.

"Anything else," Mustang snapped more than asked.

Cranning paled, finally realizing the danger he was in.

"They all stayed in your inn, but that's not saying much. It's the only inn we've got here. And they all died within a fortnight to a month of arriving."

Mustang stood and gave Cranning a cold hard look that left no one uncertain that his next words were an order. "I want a full, _complete_, report on this by the morning. You will also have the victim's husbands brought back in tomorrow for re-questioning. I want to hear what they have to say for myself."

Cranning stood as well and nodded. "O-o-of course."

Mustang motioned toward the door for Ed to precede him, before looking back at Cranning again. "And you will give us your… blessing for our own new life here, correct?"

Again, Cranning nodded.

Ed started for the door, relieved when Mustang fell in directly behind him. For once, he was glad he had decided to obey. He disliked the idea of having Cranning behind him, but at least this way Cranning wasn't directly behind him. Mustang was in between them.

Opening the door, Ed slipped out into the hallway. Mustang followed him, almost immediately wrapping an arm about his waist for the benefit of those sitting in the lounge at the other end of the hall. Ed stifled his instinctive scowl at the feel of the warm weight settled about him. He'd lost the constant need to blush this morning when he had woken up sprawled over an indignant Mustang.

"Welcome to Tramston! My secretary will have all the paperwork ready for you at her desk. I'll be looking forward to seeing you around!"

Cranning looked at Ed as he said the last, his eyes giving his words a meaning Ed did not particularly like. Then the mayor glanced back up at Mustang, a small measure of fear finally showing at the fierce, cold expression on Mustang's face. He ducked back into his office quickly, and Ed let Mustang pull him away as another small shudder worked its way quickly through him.

* * *

The man watched as the town's newest members stopped for a moment to glance in the bookshop's window on their way back from the mayor's. The younger of the pair seemed almost too young to be there. The boy was obviously fighting the impulse to go in as his husband stood nearby, just as obviously fighting a smile at his husband's antics. It was a losing battle.

The whole scene made the boy seem even younger. He looked at most fourteen or fifteen, not the eighteen that was their town's minimum for incoming married couples even though the age of consent was sixteen here as well as everywhere else in Amestris.

This was a nice little couple, the man thought, a small smile growing on his face. They would be perfect for his experiments.

The younger was feisty and wayward while the older was calm with a protective air about him that the man rarely saw in this type of couple. They both very obviously trusted and cared for each other.

An argument broke out between the two as the older man stepped forward to pull the other away from the window. The man couldn't hear what it was about, but that didn't matter. It was clear that this couple was just as comfortable fighting as anything. More so, even. It might actually be a form of foreplay to them, he thought. They shared a true bond. And the pout that the younger had held no true anger, just as the older's smirk held nothing but fond amusement.

It was so disheartening, devastating even, to see his experiments fail over and over again, but maybe this time they wouldn't.

Yes. This would be the perfect pair for his plans. With these two, he would finally find success!

The man pushed off the wall he was leaning against and hurried down the street to find his own lover, anxious to put his plan into motion.


	5. Chapter 4

Gah! It's late!! Sorry everyone!! I had a _LONG_, tiring week last week _and_ net problems this weekend. Combine that with a root canal, pain, and just being tired beyond all belief, and you find one defeated Zash. XD But the chapter is finally clear at least a short edit and ready to go up. Now to get typing faster. ^_^

I'll answer reviews as soon as I can, but I might just start answering them before each chapter again. It tends to be easier for me. XD

Enjoy! And remember, I love any and all constructive criticism. ^_^

Chapter 4

Roy had never been overly attracted to younger men. If he was attracted to a man, it was normally to someone about his own age. In fact, the only person he had ever truly loved had been a man his age. As usual, the fates were against him in his love, but it showed his typical inclination for the male gender. It also helped explain why he had turned to dating nearly exclusively women; there could never be another Maes Hughes.

Edward Elric, however, was the exception to the rule. Just as he nearly always was. The boy had grown into a beautiful, strong man. He was definitely male, but he naturally held a lithe grace and a sun-bright beauty that escaped most people no matter how hard they tried to achieve it. Roy would have to have been dead not to have noticed it.

Of course, Edward ate like a starving horse on a regular basis, but that did little to disguise such features. Watching him never failed to amaze Roy. He had to admit, it also fascinated him. All that energy and attention Edward normally focused on his brother and alchemy was now focused on eating and food. He'd answer questions and hold a conversation, but it was always obvious by the looks of pleasure and the distracted tone of his voice that it was his food that held the majority of his attention. After he'd finished, he'd turn that attention to the person he'd been talking to as he ate and the look of contentment would be absolutely captivating even as his attention switched over.

Roy had been treated to the sight a few times, and up close that last couple of days, so he'd come to realize something. Whomever Edward ended up finally dating would be very lucky to have all that exclusive attention focused solely on them. If he loved the person especially. Roy had a feeling that Edward never did anything halfway, so that person would find themselves in a position similar to Al's: above both food and alchemy at all times.

Roy looked away from the other, thoughts of his own late love rising to once more invade his mind and clench his heart in painfully tight talons. The view didn't help since they'd been seated just next to a couple about Roy's age that seemed overly interested in the immediate attempt of the first male conception.

"What's wrong?"

Ed's voice, muffled slightly by the food that was doubtlessly still half-eaten in his mouth, broke into Roy's thoughts. Roy looked back at Edward. As expected, Ed was just finishing chewing a mouthful of food, a curious scowl on his face as he did so.

"Just wondering where you put all that food," Roy replied, a bit of his amusement creeping into his voice. Edward was so predictable. "There doesn't seem like there's that much room for everything you've eaten."

Ed's eyes narrowed dangerously at being called small before he began his usual tirade. Perhaps there was one more thing Ed placed higher than food…

Roy just smirked in amused satisfaction as the kissing couple stopped to stare at them in astonishment. After a moment, however, they went back to it with a soft tolerant chuckle for the younger of their town's newest couple.

"Well, I think I will head up first. Don't be too long, sweet?"

Ed scowled and took another determined bite of his roll.

Roy grinned at the expected response and turned away. He walked with long sure strides that also managed to make him appear far more relaxed than he honestly felt at that moment. He sauntered out of the room and into the small lobby area that doubled as the entrance to both the town's pub and the hotel. He stepped just out of view of the table he'd left Ed at and stopped to wait by the door, taking the chance to admire the setting sun.

Sunset had just begun a short while before, and brilliant pinks, golds, and purples painted the sky in an array of shimmering beauty. Shadows had grown long and dark, making the fading light seem somehow brighter, more energetic. In a strange way, it reminded him of Ed. A bright flaring of gold color painted on the background of a dark, grey world.

Why did that seem like such a hopeful thought to him?

Of course, this was Edward. Ed was nothing if not hope and rash stubbornness personified.

The sun had finally disappeared, leaving a bruised purple as the only evidence of its recent departure when Ed finally appeared. The younger man moved to stand next to him, staring silently out into the street as though searching for whatever had held Roy's attention for so long.

Roy barely glanced down at Ed's arrival. He didn't have to see him to know he was there. He knew it the same way he always knew it—by the sheer, mad energy that radiated off of Ed like heat from the sun. He only had to look to see what his subordinate was actually doing.

Keeping his gaze still firmly on the darkening purple outside, Roy slipped an arm around the slim waist next to him and began to silently turn them around to lead the way upstairs. Ed stiffened at first and Roy could feel him begin to pull away. He tightened his arm in a quick squeeze.

"Hush, love," he said in a voice just loud enough for others to hear. "We have nothing to fear here."

Ed relaxed somewhat and frowned over at Roy as he let himself be led away. Roy breathed a small sigh of relief despite the look of annoyance in Ed's eyes.

Roy had known this would be a tough assignment, but between Ed's reactions and his already deepening suspicions of…complications in the assignment, he had a feeling he was going to be hard put to keep this from blowing up like most of the buildings Ed was sent to investigate tended to be. At least the boy was attempting to do this right. He was strong, intelligent, and capable, but he also had a temper that he just didn't seem capable of containing.

Could it be that _that_ was part of why—

No. Roy wouldn't let himself think like that. Not yet anyway. Not until this was all over and they were back at Headquarters with back up available almost immediately if need be.

The room was dark when they arrived. Shadows, ominous now in the enclosed area, covered everything in the room and seemed to reach for them as they stood in the doorway. Ed moved fearlessly ahead into them even as Roy reached up to flip on the switch. The light blinked on just in time for him to watch as Ed flopped down onto the sofa.

Locking the door behind him, Roy followed the other over, sitting in the chair by his head again. He leaned in and opened his mouth to speak, but Ed beat him to it.

"Why were we the ones chosen for this mission? Was it specifically us? Two alchemists? Or did you get the assignment and assign me to this yourself?"

By the tone of Ed's voice, Roy could tell he had come to the same conclusion Roy had.

"No, I didn't, and no one outside our office should about you either. So I have a theory on why we were chosen," Roy told him softly, matching his voice level to the low tone Ed had used. "I think someone knows more than we wanted them to know. Someone in the military…"

"And close to the Fuehrer." Ed cursed forcefully under his breath. When he'd finished, he turned to stare angrily into the empty fireplace. "How? They must know a lot. At least about Al and me anyway…"

Golden eyes went wide with sudden realization, and Ed shot up. He twisted around and stared into Roy's own eyes.

"Al! They wouldn't—"

"Keep your voice down," Roy hissed at him. He glanced over at the door and then back again. "He's safe enough. He's staying with Havoc, remember? And Hawkeye and the rest of my team will see to it that no one touches him. It's us I'm worried about right now. Someone knows enough about you to know you are practically the expert on chimeras and human alchemy! If they know that, then they also know I've been helping you. And this someone must know the details of this case and deliberately sent us without giving us all the information available.

"Besides," Roy added, not truly believing it himself, "they might not know about the others. After all, my team is just my subordinates who follow their orders, and Alphonse is not in the military."

"How could they not know?"

Roy ignored Ed's hissed question. "For now, we need to concentrate on solving this case so we can get back. We have a job to do, and it might help us solve our own mystery as well."

A long moment passed as Ed glared at Roy, his frantic thoughts clear in his molten gold eyes just then. Finally, he flopped back down onto the sofa. "I'm the bait."

Annoyed anger twisted inside Roy at that thought, but he nodded anyway.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you are."

He gave Ed a stern look he reserved for when he couldn't afford the other not to listen to him. And this was definitely a time he could not afford that. Not if he wanted them both to leave this town alive.

"You will _not_ take _any_ chances. And you _will_ stick close to me at all times. This is an order, Fullmetal. I won't have you getting yourself killed now over something like this."

Ed gave an actual growl and glared fiery daggers at Roy. "I won't. I still have to save Al."

"Just so long as we're clear."

There was a moment's pause and then Roy shifted in his seat, his mind spinning with possibility after possibility.

"First we need to develop a course of action. I won't risk either one of us on this mission. What did you make of the mayor's description of this killer?"

"Either this guy isn't human or he has help. I think Cranning knows something he isn't telling us," Ed replied with a derisive snort.

"Why do you say that?"

"He hasn't done a very good job of catching this guy. And he barely knows anything of use to the case. You would have at least had a brief description of the killer by now! Especially when there had been a witness," Ed began ranting, his voice starting to rise.

Roy jabbed Ed in the side with a finger and Ed lowered his voice again, though not without another dark glare sent Roy's way.

"You also wouldn't have let your _only _witness be killed before you could even get anything useful out of the man."

"Thank you for that ringing endorsement," Roy told him drily. He was quite honestly touched by the other's high regard, though. Ed didn't praise people lightly or often. "However, I doubt Mayor Cranning has anything to do with it. I think he's just that incompetent."

Ed laughed, his face lighting up with genuine mirth.

"But you are right. He should know more. Perhaps it's someone on his staff? We'll have to keep a good eye out for them. I think we can manage to sneak a call out to my 'supportive sister.'" Ed snorted with his laughter this time and Roy knew he was trying to picture Hawkeye and him in the same actual family. "I'll have her look into the matter as well."

He gave Ed a hard, stern look before adding, "We'll also have to keep a good watch on you."

"What? I can take care of myself," Ed hissed vehemently, just as Roy had expected. He was just glad it was a hiss and not a shout. "I don't need to be coddled like some kid!"

"And I want to catch this murderer with my subordinate alive and intact enough to deliver back to his brother," Roy replied coolly.

Ed's mouth snapped shut and he turned his head to stare sullenly into the empty fireplace.

"Unless you're here in the room, with the door locked, I want you to stay close to me at all times. Understood? We might need to plan a trap later on, but it will be _planned_," Roy told him.

"Understood," Ed growled with annoyed frustration fairly dripping from every syllable.

"You're still strong, Ed, but until we know what we're dealing with here, I don't want to risk you," Roy said to try and soothe the boy's ego. They might not be actual lovers, but a chilly bed partner made for a chilly bed too. He simply kept it to himself that he would never have sent anyone, and especially not Fullmetal, into a situation like this in the first place.

"Fine," Ed growled again, but the growl had lost some of its hard edge.

Roy stared quietly at the far window for a few more minutes, plans and ideas forming in his head as he devised the best strategy for this horrible mess he'd suddenly found himself in. Eventually, he began to speak, telling Ed what he'd decided they needed to do the next day and his plans for after that. They needed more information, more to work with, than what they'd been given. Occasionally, Ed would interrupt with his own idea or a fine-tuned version of Roy's plans. Roy was pleasantly surprised to find that the other's own chaotic style actually did complement Roy's more orderly one well.

When they finally went to bed that night, Roy was quite satisfied at the obvious signs of Ed's maturing into a fine young man and very happy to note that he felt far better about their situation than he even had on the train ride in.

* * *

Ed didn't like a single thing about this mission.

It wasn't simply because he was stuck on it with Colonel Mustang either. The man couldn't help teasing Ed it seemed, yet Ed still found himself impressed, even if grudgingly, by Mustang's intelligence and acting skill. He'd known Mustang was good at strategy and tactics, but seeing those skills in action put the older man into perspective for Ed. In fact, Ed had come to respect Mustang far more than he ever had before just in the last day or so. He'd never admit it, even to himself, but he did actually enjoy their planning session earlier.

It also didn't bother him as much as Ed thought it should that he had to share a bed with Mustang. The other man stayed on his own side of the bed, only lightly snored, and actually managed to serve as a bed warmer. Ed knew, too, that if something should happen in the middle of the night, he could count on Mustang to back him up, the same as Al. The only real drawbacks to this arrangement were that it felt weird to hear someone else breathing in the same bedroom as him and Ed just couldn't sleep well without his brother there.

So, in the end, what truly bothered Ed about this mission was the mission itself.

Everything seemed far too well orchestrated, as he and Mustang had discussed earlier. Someone in the military knew too much about them and was out to get them.

But who?

Ed hadn't angered anyone high enough up the food chain recently that actually would be able to and want to do this, and he didn't think he'd be a target too if this was just to get at Mustang. Or would he? Could someone want to kill Mustang and Ed had just gotten in the way? Or maybe it was still the other way around. Someone had just taken their time getting revenge on Ed and Mustang just happened to be handy to go down with him?

Heaving a huge sigh, Ed turned to face Mustang, away from the faint light streaming in through the window. He kept his eyes closed and the added darkness seemed to help his mind settle a little further.

If Ed didn't know better, he'd think the homunculi were still in power and hiding within the military. But Wrath, or King Bradley as he'd been known, had been killed finally in an amazingly bloody battle with Scar while Lust, Envy, Gluttony, and Greed had all been killed or, in Greed's case, purged. There were no more homunculi left to control the government or otherwise manipulate Ed's life, even if this situation did stink of their interference. Only they had ever seemed to like the roundabout way of killing him, everyone else tended to be more straightforward about it.

So if Ed couldn't think of anyone who would want to kill them, did that mean this was all a coincidence that _he _and _Mustang_ were picked? They stood a good chance of surviving, even if it wasn't a coincidence. They weren't known as heroes all over Amestris for no reason, after all, even if only a few people really knew what they looked like. So why try to kill them with a mission that might not kill them?

But why else handpick them and place them undercover as the killer's ideal targets if not to kill them? And why them? Ed could think of at least three other alchemists better suited to this than him, even if they didn't know as much about chimeras and human transmutation. And he could think of even more reasons why someone other than Mustang should have been chosen.

Ed shifted uncomfortably and opened his eyes to stare at Mustang. For a controlling, sadistic bastard, the man was very handsome. And he was still quite young. His whole confident demeanor also added another layer of attractiveness to him. Perhaps that was why Mustang had been chosen, despite his rank? Who would question a young, impressionable man falling in love with him?

But then again, Ed hadn't noticed any of that until now, so why would anyone else, particularly someone with the position needed to assign them to this mission through the Fuehrer?

Dark eyes popped opened, startling Ed and sending a shiver through his spine. They stared at each other for a moment, Mustang seeming to take everything about Ed in right then. For a brief, insane second, Ed had the terrible feeling that Mustang knew exactly what he'd been thinking about him before and he had to fight down a blush.

"What is it?" Mustang's voice was husky with weariness. "I'm trying to sleep, and I can't with all that racket you're making."

Ed scowled and flopped onto his back.

"I wasn't doing anything! How can you sleep anyway?"

Mustang sighed and rolled onto his back as well.

"I told you. We can't do anything until we get this mission out of the way. Do you want to be court marshaled? Or worse, shot for desertion?"

"No! I just don't like not knowing what's going on! And I like even less knowing that Al is trapped within reach of the maniac without any idea of the danger he's in," Ed growled up at the ceiling. "We don't even know who to warn him _of_!"

"The military was never a nice place, Ed. You normally only have contact with the people I let near you, but not everyone is like them. My team will keep him as safe as usual, I promise."

"So what are you saying? You've been _protecting _us all these years when you've been sending us out into all those messes?"

Mustang heaved a deep sigh, as though he were trying to recapture the last of his patience.

"If you want to get back to your brother and find out why we sent here like we were in the first place, then we have to take this one step at a time. Sleep now so we can do our job tomorrow. Then we catch the killer, go back to Central, and straighten this all out. _Discretely._"

Ed growled again, but couldn't deny the sense Mustang made.

"Worry tomorrow. At a sensible hour."

Ed grumbled under his breath in agreement and rolled away from Mustang onto his side. There was a soft laugh behind him and then a bit of rustling as Mustang apparently did the same. Ed ignored him as he began fantasizing just what he'd do to the man behind all this when he caught up to the bastard.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, I'm not dead yet. Just incredibly busy. Real life sorta decided I'd be good even with ketchup and ate me. XD I'm back now though! Updates might be a bit slower, but I have several chapters handwritten and it's really just a matter of typing them and giving them a quick edit. I think it'd be faster if I had a beta though. XD Oh well. I can't wait to really get into the meat of the story, but that's later. ^_^ Sorry for disappearing on ya'll! I kinda did it to everyone for a while there, except work of course. Lol!

Thank you to Amethyst-eyed Koneko, thunder arrow alchemist, Sisyphean Effort, catxmelons, XxNami20xX, GreyMoth, and Trumpet-Geek! I'm sorry I haven't been able to answer your reviews. I sorta disappeared from the net for a little while there. I'm glad you all enjoyed the story so far though!

Amethyst-eyed Koneko: I'm glad you enjoyed those lines. I had a ton of fun writing those parts. I love sap, even if I also love throwing in angst. It just makes the sap all the sweeter I think! Hopefully you'll enjoy what's coming up equally as well. Particularly the scenes from the end of Chapters 7 and 8. *grins evilly*

Sisyphean Effort: *bows to* Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! I hope you enjoy this chapter and future chapters just as much!

GreyMoth: I hope you enjoy future chapters as well! I love constructive criticism, as I said before. It always helps me improve my writing, and it means someone cared enough to say something. ^_^ So don't feel like a bully. Please! ^_^

Trumpet-Geek: I'm glad you enjoyed the story! The letter is actually a major part of the story, you just don't find out how much until almost the end. Let's just say, though, that without the letter at the start of the fic, there'd be no fic. ^_^

As always, I hope everyone enjoys!!

Chapter 5

Unsurprisingly, Roy woke first the next day. He pushed himself up in the bed, glaring blearily at the bright morning light streaming in through the window. Then he looked down at the bed again, his mind pondering the wisdom of trying to sleep a little longer before being caught up in fascination at the sight he found curled into the white sheets.

Ed was half uncovered by the blanket and splayed out on his back beside Roy. His golden hair and skin tones blended with the sunshine to take on a nearly ethereal glow. Even the strip of flesh where his shirt had ridden up over his stomach seemed to emit a soft, bewitching beauty. Ed's face, smoothed clean of all his usual abrasive attitude, was soft and open. Like this, Ed wasn't simply attractive or handsome—he was beautiful. He looked young and far too innocent and pretty to be in the bed of Roy Mustang.

Roy tore his eyes away and, scowling, climbed out of bed. Feeling thoroughly disgusted with himself, he made his way quickly into the bathroom and locked himself in.

He had _never_ been attracted to a younger man before. And he definitely wasn't attracted to his subordinates! He had never allowed himself to be! What was going on here?

Roy began his normal morning rituals on automatic, using the routine to school his whirling thoughts into something more manageable. Possibility after possibility presented itself for consideration, but most of Roy's ideas could be tossed aside immediately. He was not attracted to his subordinates and he had not been attracted to Edward before this mission had started. Granted, he had noticed the boy was growing into a desirable young man, at least in physical terms, and he did have to admire the boy's genius and talent, but that was all a far cry from wanting anything more than a possible discussion about alchemy.

Then a thought struck him. Roy's toothbrush clattered into the sink unnoticed as he stared unseeing into his own dark eyes in the mirror, his mind splintering under the weight of his realization.

They had hardly any information on the surviving spouses of the victims. There was nothing to say that _both_ men had not been dosed with whatever concoction the killer had created, only that he lost interest after killing the younger of the couple.

Had they already been targeted? Had he, Roy, already been dosed, and his leave of senses on seeing Ed this morning a direct result of that?

Leaning into the mirror, Roy examined his unshaven features. Did he look any different? Feel any different besides that thing this morning?

There was nothing he could detect…

He frowned and looked over at the door.

Was Ed's sleeplessness last night only a result of his worry and missing his brother?

Roy was out of the bathroom almost before he'd managed to even think of what he was doing. After that, he was standing next to the bed beside Ed, staring down suspiciously at the oblivious blond.

There didn't seem to be anything obviously wrong with him either, but Roy doubted that truly meant anything. No one had noticed anything wrong before either, and they actually had been lovers.

"Ed," he said, giving the sleeping boy a rough shake. "Ed! Wake up. Wake up, Ed!"

"Mmmnnn…" Ed moaned as he stirred awake, batting at the unwelcome hand on his shoulder. He stretched his lithe, golden form, somehow making his muscles ripple beneath his skin before his eyes blinked sleepily open. Ed blinked for a moment before his sleep-hazed eyes finally moved to settle on Roy.

"Wha' is't? I wazz havin' a goo' dream…"

Roy nearly chuckled at his sleep-drenched tone.

"How do you feel, Ed? Do you feel _any_ different than usual?" Roy made sure to emphasize "any" in his question, not wanting Ed to leave something out just because it was minor.

Ed's eyes narrowed in irritation that was just barely tempered by his lingering lethargy.

"Besides being sleepy, you mean? It's too early for this…"

"It's after nine, Ed," Roy told him after a glance at the clock. "Time to get up. Are you always like this in the morning?"

"Are you?" Ed shot a glare at him that was as dark as he could manage still. "Al usually dumps water on me if I don't get up when he wants me to. You'd better not even think of doing that though!"

Roy chuckled at that image and shook his head. He'd really hate to wind up skewered by his supposed lover. Though he supposed it would solve a problem or two with their mission…

"I won't dump water on you, but I might light a fire under you if you don't get moving."

"You wouldn't!"

Ed's eyes had flown wide at the suggestion and he stared incredulously, and fully awake, at Roy.

Shrugging, Roy gave him a mischievous grin that faded after a moment into his more serious colonel's mask.

"Besides tired, do you feel anything out of the ordinary?"

"No," Ed growled. "Wanting to bash your head in is perfectly normal for me!"

Roy shook his head, a small smile making itself known again. He should have known Ed wouldn't be a morning person.

"I'm going to finish in the bathroom."

He left Ed grumbling on the bed, his smile fading away once more as the door shut behind him.

If Ed was feeling fine, then why was he thinking such strange thoughts? It was always the younger of the couple that was drugged, regardless of their relationship's dynamic. In fact, for one couple, the only time the victim had ever wanted to bottom was during the time he was being drugged.

So why was Roy experiencing this and not Ed? Could Roy have just been being observant?

No… That wasn't it…

Could it be that the older of the two was being drugged by himself before the younger was as well?

They'd need more information before he could say whether or not that was true, but it did seem like the best theory so far.

Roy finished in the bathroom and left, allowing Ed to dart in with barely a nod. He got dressed slowly, his mind going over all the information they had so far and beginning to catalogue the questions they would need to ask the victims' husbands. Finally, he sat down on the bed and pulled out his notebook and pen.

By the time Ed emerged from the bathroom, Roy had written more than a dozen questions and was in the process of double checking the file and their notes to be sure they hadn't already been answered. He was finding that the files combined with his new idea actually brought up more new questions rather than answering any.

"Ready for breakfast?"

Not even glancing up from his work, Roy answered distractedly, "Perhaps in a little bit. Why don't you call down for room service so we can stay together? Be sure to test the food though."

"Why? And why do we have to eat in here?" Ed sounded both slightly concerned and annoyed somehow.

"I'm working, Ed," Roy told him as he flipped a page in his notebook and jotted down another question.

"Can't you do that later? It's not like you ever do your work on time anyway."

"No," Roy snapped, harsher than he'd meant to. He softened his voice. "Just order in this morning. And act like you're a little…sore."

"Sore? Why should I act like I'm hurt?"

Roy stopped reading over his current page in the file and glanced back at Ed in surprise.

Ed blinked at him for a moment before a light blush colored his cheekbones and he averted his eyes.

Snickering, Roy returned to his papers.

"I'll just go by my—"

"No!" Roy startled himself at his exclamation. He lowered his voice slightly. "No. Stay close to me. We went over this last night."

Ed gave a small growl, but nodded anyway, much to Roy's relief. He listened as Ed called down for breakfast before returning again to his papers.

The food arrived a short while later, just in time for Roy to finish writing down the majority of his questions. He had managed to find a few answers in the files, but even then, new questions would arise and the really big ones were never even hinted at. Roy frowned at the file in his hand, not liking what that said about their investigation one iota.

"There's almost nothing here to suggest the investigators even thought about both partners possibly being drugged or experimented on," he said as Ed looked over the food.

He stood and moved to grab a cheese danish from a tray piled high with them. Ed scowled at the offending pastry, but stuck to his apple one.

"Why? You think our suspect might have been drugging them both?" Ed looked up, pinning Roy under a hard stare that Roy thought might be seeing just a little too much. It was as if that gold stare was searching his soul almost, it dug so deep. "Does this have anything to do with this morning? Do you think they might have gotten to you?"

"I think," Roy said slowly and succinctly, trying to push down his own guilty response, "that it makes sense. We know too little to discount the possibility. Drugging both might help ensure the experiment's success. It's a possibility we at least need to look into. I've been writing up my own questions on the case. Next I'm going to write up some for the official investigators," Ed snorted derisively at this, "to ask the victims' husbands. You should try to think of a few as well. They're all we have for witnesses now."

Ed nodded, but his stare didn't leave Roy. "You never answered my question."

Roy met Ed's eyes for a long moment, and then turned to make himself a cup of coffee. He took both it and his danish over to the hotel room's desk where he immediately set to writing. There was a small frustrated sound from Ed behind him before he heard the rustle of the other following suit. They spent the rest of the morning deep in their work.

* * *

_The man really is a bumbling idiot,_ Roy thought as he sat in the special wardrobe Ed had transmuted for them to surreptitiously watch the interviews from.

Roy watched as Cranning and the town's sheriff, Sheriff Tisdale, asked the new questions he and Ed had come up with. Unfortunately, as he watched, Roy was also coming to understand just _how _this killer had managed to elude all attempts at capture.

Mayor Cranning wasn't just a bumbling fool, he was also an incorrigible gossip as well. So far he hadn't given anything too important away, like Ed and Roy's presence, but given the amount of nervous energy he exuded, Roy knew that was probably simply because he had been threatened with crispy friedness if he did along with the fact that Roy was behind him watching and ready to act on said threat.

Roy glanced over at Ed and noticed the ever-present scowl on his shadowed features. He was just as annoyed at the incompetent mayor as Roy was, which only served to make Roy more nervous. He hoped Ed wouldn't explode prematurely. It had been hard enough getting into the office without being seen in the first place, giving it all away now would be wasteful and just plain stupid.

Sheriff Tisdale, on other hand, seemed to be quite competent. In fact, every time he shot Cranning a scowl, Roy found himself liking the man even more. If Hawkeye's investigations into the man turned up clean, then perhaps he would bring the man more fully into the picture and push Cranning out into the outskirts. He would right then, but they'd been given absolutely no information on the man at all so far, and Roy didn't like to take chances like that.

"What about you?" Roy focused back in on the conversation in the room, ignoring the soft rustle of Ed sitting forward to do the same. "Did you experience any kind of strange symptoms?"

The man, who looked just slightly older than Roy himself, seemed shocked at the question as Cranning stammered out, "Sh-Sheriff! Perhaps you could phrase that a little more carefully?"

Tisdale barely spared Cranning an irritated look as he watched the man in front of him obviously begin to consider the question. The poor man himself looked as though he were ready to be sick.

"M-m-maybe… I felt so…overprotective in those last days, like I couldn't stand for Hugh to leave my sight for an instant." The man looked down at his lap with an expression of total misery. "He'd get so mad at me those last couple of weeks, but it just made it worse because he'd start crying. I hated seeing it. He'd never cried before…"

"When did this over-protectiveness start?"

"About a week or so after we got here. But it was right after we arrived that that other boy died, so I could be wrong. Perhaps I was just nervous about his safety? For good reason…"

Roy felt his heart sink like lead laced with acid into his stomach as Cranning nodded and soothed in a pathetic voice that was meant to be sympathetic, "Yes, yes. Quite right. These events are enough to put anyone on edge. Right, Sheriff?"

"One last question," Tisdale said, gruffly ignoring the mayor. "Did your food or drink ever taste any differently?"

The man seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head. "No, but we both loved eating at the inn's pub. The food was delicious there. But nothing tastes right now, so I haven't been back since."

Tisdale nodded, and Roy looked back at Ed again while the mayor and sheriff began winding up the interview.

Ed stared fixedly at the witness, his lips pursed in concentration. The light that shafted into their little hiding place caught in his eyelashes and in his hair, making them both appear to glow in the dark space. What skin Roy could see and Ed's eyes seemed to shine with the same ethereal light that almost seemed to emanate from within the other, despite Roy knowing it was simply a trick of his own senses. The sight and the twisting it gave Roy's stomach strengthened Roy's resolve to find whoever was doing this and put a stop to it.

Preferably _before_ it destroyed his sanity.

Leaning back in his cramped seat, Roy pulled out his notebook and shifted to bring it into the light. He quickly jotted down a few notes and thoughts using the pen he kept clipped to the wire binding and ignored Ed as the other leaned in to read what he was writing. It was harder to ignore him than usual, though. Had Ed always smelled that good, Roy wondered?

Frowning, he kept that thought to himself and looked up in time to watch the sheriff admit another man into the room for questioning.

The next couple of hours didn't exactly crawl by as they listened to the startlingly similar testimony of the surviving partners of the victims, but they didn't exactly fly past either. One after another, their stories were told in voices that were choked with grief and disbelief. Questions and answers were exchanged along with the constant annoying commentary of Mayor Cranning. The Sheriff added in a few more questions to cater to the slight variations of each individual's story—questions which were so pointed and well directed that Roy wondered if the man might not be an alchemist himself, if not simply a rather experienced detective when it came to alchemy. Either way, by the time they were interviewing the final witness, ideas and theories were flying through Roy's mind once more, trying to take root and shape there.

With the questions finally answered and the final man shown the door, Roy sat back in his seat to scribble down a few more of his thoughts. He nearly snorted at Cranning's obvious and pathetic attempts to rush Tisdale out of his office. If the man didn't seem to be normally this moronic, Roy might have actually been worried. As it was, he figured they should be safe. Who would suspect an idiot for being an idiot?

It wasn't until Tisdale growled a question to Cranning that Roy's head snapped up from his notes, bringing his attention firmly and fully back into the room.

"I know you'd prefer to _play_ tonight, but when are those investigators from the military going to arrive? I should know—"

"They were already here," Cranning nearly squeaked.

Tisdale's eyes narrowed in a glare at Cranning. The other man's face drained to white and he swallowed hard.

"I had wondered how you had come up with such good questions. When did they get in? Where are they staying? Since you haven't seen fit to introduce me, I'll just have to take a trip out to meet them myself."

Cranning swallowed visibly as he backed around behind his desk, placing it between himself and his fuming sheriff. He nearly fell into his seat when the back of his legs hit the chair's edge and he gripped the desk hard to keep from tipping over backwards.

"They've already left," he finally replied in a frantic voice after he'd righted himself. He coughed a little, obviously trying to regain control of himself. "They just stopped in to see me, since I _am_ the mayor, and to drop off their questions. They had…something else to take care of, but they said they'll be back soon."

"I'm sure," Tisdale said, sounding anything but convinced. "Don't forget to let me know when they are back. You may be mayor, but I'm the sheriff and I want to meet with these so-called investigators." His final words dripped with the same disdain that practically radiated from every look he shot Cranning.

Tisdale glanced over at the wardrobe and snorted before snapping an about-face that would have made any military officer proud.

"Nice wardrobe," he threw over his shoulder as he prowled over to the door. "Don't forget, Cranning. And don't forget that other either."

Roy's eyebrows flew high as Tisdale disappeared through the door. The click of it closing in its sturdy wooden frame seemed to echo in Roy's ears for a moment, and then Ed was pushing the door open and spilling out onto the floor in a gold and black heap.

Clipping his pen back into place, Roy put his notebook back into his pocket and followed Ed a little more gracefully out. He tossed Ed a smug smirk as he did so that grew in amusement from the scowl Ed returned.

"Was that enough?" Cranning's question broke the silence that still lingered in the room and brought Roy's attention back to him. The man was trying to drag himself together again to put up a tough front for Roy and Ed, but his voice still held a definite whine and he looked harried as he ran a hand through his hair, mussing more than it already was. "Will you meet with Tisdale now?"

"No. I do want his file, however," Roy said, his back straightening as he fixed the mayor with his coolest stare. "As well as _all_ the information relevant to this case. There are pieces missing and I believe you know it, Mayor Cranning."

Cranning shook his head, his face now drained of most of its color. "There is no other information. I sent everything I had to the military!"

"Think again, Mayor," Roy told him, his voice cold and hard as diamonds might be if they could be a sound. "It doesn't look good to me that you won't cooperate with this investigation, and it will look even less so to my superiors."

Cranning swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing frantically in his throat. "I swear there's nothing else! If there is, Sheriff Tisdale has it!"

Roy heard an irritated growl come from behind him and he raised a hand to quiet Ed, at least as much as he was ever able to. Thankfully, Ed didn't say anything more, though the mayor's eyes now flickered nervously between them.

"Then where is his file? I was assured you have files on all your residents, or was I misinformed?"

Cranning quickly shook his head. "We normally do! But Tisdale is one of our original residents! He's been here since he was a kid! He doesn't have one!"

"He doesn't have a file," Ed repeated, disbelief clear in his voice.

Roy found he shared Ed's sentiments. He felt his earlier assessment of the town's sheriff shifting again. This didn't fit his expectations. If Sheriff Tisdale was as good as he seemed, why hadn't he made his own file? More possible discrepancies danced a resolute dance through his memory as Roy's eyes hardened yet further. He was pleased to see Cranning nearly wet himself at the look.

"Create one," Roy ordered, his voice barking out just low enough that no one outside the room would be able to make out the words. "And fast. I want it by morning. Remember, tell no one about this, including Sheriff Tisdale."

Half turning, Roy glanced back at Edward to find him fighting a snicker. He sighed and tossed his head to indicate Ed should precede him out the secret entrance to the room.

Ed looked back at him, ignoring him as his eyes danced with glee at seeing Roy's anger directed towards someone else for once. Then he looked back at Cranning and asked the question Roy had been about to ask next.

"What did he mean when told you 'not to forget that other?'"

Whatever color had still remained in Cranning's face now drained away, leaving him as white as the hotel sheets in Roy and Ed's room. If the man hadn't been sitting already, Roy was sure his knees would have given out. As it was, Cranning's hands took on a violent shaking that even pressing them to the desk couldn't hide.

"I-I-I—" Cranning swallowed hard and licked his lips. "He just meant about when you, the investigators, returned and—and some other official business we've been working on. About the coming—coming harvest festival next month."

Roy just stared at Cranning. It was an obvious lie. So obvious, it was insulting!

Ed moved forward to protest, but Roy moved to place a hand on Ed's shoulder to stop him from protesting. Cranning was feeling cornered. He was more likely to shut down than open up now. Roy could wait. He was patient. And if it took too long or became clear he needed to, he could always burn the answer out of Cranning. Slowly.

He might actually enjoy that.

"Then you will tell him you don't know when they are coming back until we say otherwise," Roy told him calmly. "Understood?"

Cranning nodded hurriedly.

"Good day then," Roy said with a last stern look at the pasty mayor of Tramston. "I will see you tomorrow for that report."

Then he began herding Ed from the room before him. Thankfully, Ed went quietly, even if with a dark glare at Roy.

Cranning called something back in a weak voice that could have been a farewell, and then Roy and Ed were in the hidden passageway leading back out onto the streets.


	7. Chapter 6

Wow… this took awhile to get out… Well, I moved (still in Japan, just a tiny, tiny city in Iwate) and have been working on my original writing as well as a little FMA one shot. So I've been pretty busy. XD I've also been keeping up with the manga. I won't spoil anyone, but I have to say, I both liked and was disappointed in the ending. And not for no RoyEd, rofl. Never actually expected that in the canon. XD

Also, thank you everyone for your lovely reviews and favorites (not to mention story alerts)! I wish I had more time online to reply to them! I do wanna say that I'm not going to just have Ed suddenly turn up pregnant. It's a slow-moving plot that is only at its very beginning. (It'll get faster soon I think though.) If he does get pregnant, which it looks like he will or at least have a very near miss, then it will be part of the plot and not something so glaringly there that it seems unreal or that the entire story is written around it. I will strive to be subtle.

The next chapter should be up soon! It is shorter and so can be typed up in a shorter amount of time. It will also have something extra intriguing at its end. *grins evilly*

Thank you again to Amethyst-Eyed Koneko, Shotou-chan, Thunder Arrow Alchemist, , Sisyphean Effort, Echo54*7, Persefone88, and NemesisNo1! I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 6

Ed led the way back to their hotel, barely stopping even for cars or bikes along the way. A few times he was nearly hit by a passing bicyclist and once by a car, but thankfully Mustang was fast enough to pull him back out of harm's way before he could be hurt. Though, aside from a very distant awareness of what was happening, Ed didn't notice a bit of it. His mind was too busy circling around and around what the mayor had said and how he had said it to notice anything else. There was something there, Ed knew, if he could simply figure out what it was. He did know he didn't like his suspicions.

Suddenly, that large warm hand that had pulled him back out of harm's way countless times already darted out and spun Ed around without warning. Ed stumbled forward, falling face first into Mustang's hard chest. Ed reached up to bury his hands into Mustang's soft cotton vest at the same time as Mustang's arms wrapped around him to stop Ed from falling. They only stayed wrapped around Ed for a moment, however, before moving to the more appropriate position of grasping his upper arms.

The memory of the husbands' testimony shot to the forefront of Ed's mind. His head snapped back and he stared up into Mustang's face.

For a moment, a look of astonishment and concern was there before Mustang buried it back under his usual mask. It was enough to make Ed's eyes widen, though, and he felt a red flush sweep over his face before he could stop it.

"What?" Ed stumbled back from Mustang, looking quickly around to see if anyone had noticed. A man he recognized vaguely as one of the husbands from the interviews gave Ed a sad smile from across the street that made Ed blush a little deeper before turning back to scowl at Mustang.

"So, you've decided to grace the rest of the world with your attention again?"

Mustang's smile was entirely too smug for Ed's liking.

"I was thinking! Some of us do that," Ed snarled at him. "What you'd do that for? You nearly knocked me over!"

"My apologies, dearest," Mustang told him, amusement beginning to color his words. "You were lost in your thoughts and I was worried I wouldn't be able to stop you from being hit by the next car you nearly walked into." Anger started to cloud Mustang's face, but he forced it back under his smiling mask of the doting husband. Ed was so fascinated by the sight that he nearly missed it as Mustang continued, "Would you care to eat here tonight? Perhaps some food will help keep your attention a little more on your surroundings."

Frowning, Ed looked beside them to see the town's only restaurant outside the hotel and pub, Legume. It screamed of high class, or at least higher than Ed was used to, and it made him uncomfortable. Just the thought that there might be extra utensils to figure out made Ed want to run and hide.

It was a smart idea though. They'd been having all their meals in the hotel pub's restaurant. If they were being dosed as they suspected, then switching up where they ate might help. It couldn't hurt them anyway.

"Your treat?" Ed was already turning to go inside even before he finished asking.

"Of course," Mustang replied, following close behind. "Just try not to eat us out of our budget."

Ed tossed a mischievous grin back at him before turning it on the young host that suddenly appeared out of nowhere it seemed. The young man, a creamy-skinned blond about Edward's age, seemed familiar, even if Ed couldn't place why. He also seemed inordinately pleased to see them, which only strengthened Ed's belief that he must have met him before.

Then again, this was a small town. In Resembool, newcomers were always the star attraction for at least a month after they moved in.

"Hello, sirs," the host greeted them in an overly perky voice. "You're the new couple, aren't you? It's nice to meet you. Come right this way. We have a nice table right by the window."

He turned around and grabbed a pair of menus as he led the way into the comfortable atmosphere of the dimly lit dining room. It had been clearly set up to hold a romantic atmosphere once the sun had set.

Ed watched him go for a moment, trying to place him again, before a large hand splayed itself across the small of his back. Gently, it pushed him forward, guiding him to follow the host. With a half-hearted scowl up at Mustang, Ed forced himself to allow himself to be led to their table. As soon as they had reached it, however, Ed shook the hand off and sat down, never taking his eyes off their host.

"Your server will be right with you," the host said with a smile as he handed them their menus.

Ed smiled in return, not bothering to nod since Mustang was already answering.

"Thank you," Mustang said, his tone cold and full of obvious dismissal. Had he also noticed something off about the host?

With a nod, the young man moved swiftly away, his thin hips swaying almost as though to some secret beat only he could hear.

Ed watched him go for a moment before looking over at Mustang. The man was frowning at him, annoyance not only clear on his face but practically screaming from his every pore.

"What?"

Mustang's eyes met his own in a hard, furious stare for a long moment, and then he looked away with a shake of his head.

"Don't ignore me," Ed growled in a low, dangerous voice. "What's your problem?"

Mustang shook his head again. "You just seemed rather interested in that host…"

Ed frowned. What was Mustang getting at?

"He seems familiar. Doesn't he to you?"

Mustang shrugged and looked down at his menu. After a moment, he turned the page, the frown steadily growing darker as Ed watched.

"Fine! Be that way," Ed told him, and then did the same.

The evening didn't get much better after that, though Ed had to admit that the food was possibly the best he'd ever had. His steak was cooked to perfection, not too well done or too rare and just the right amount of juiciness and spices. His vegetables were likewise cooked to just the right amount of softness and marinated only long enough in the steak's own juices to acquire a complimentary flavor, but not so long as to overtake the natural flavor of the vegetables themselves. Ed found himself hoping that they could eat here more often—only with his dinner companion in a better mood.

As it was, Mustang was making Ed angry. Nearly angry enough to spoil his perfect meal even.

The moment the door had closed behind them in their room later that night, Ed rounded on Mustang, not bothering to hide how angry he was as he finally gave into the urge to attack.

"What was _that_ all about?"

Mustang barely glanced at Ed as he passed him, shrugging out of his jacket and draping it over the back of the sofa. His face stayed as carefully neutral as his voice as he sat gracefully down on the sofa.

"What was what all about?"

"At the restaurant! You were cold, like you were accusing me of something, and you barely said two words to me the entire time if I didn't ask you something directly!"

"Keep your voice down," Mustang snapped back with his coldest glare yet. "Don't endanger everything more than you already have."

Gritting his teeth against a snarl, Ed forced himself to sit down next to Mustang on the sofa. He turned himself so that he could be sitting normally on the sofa, but not have to look directly at the other man. If Ed did, he might actually give in to the temptation to simply belt him.

"How have I endangered the mission? I wasn't the one acting as if he were disgusted to be anywhere near me!"

"Maybe I was," Mustang retorted, his voice a growl as his usual cool composure seemed to crack. Ed found it more unnerving than he'd ever thought he would. "It would be understandable, however, with how you were drooling after that host while I, your supposed _husband_, sat right across from you!"

Ed sat back and turned to blink in disbelief at Roy's furious face. His dark blue eyes nearly sparked with suppressed rage even at this angle. Suddenly, almost abruptly enough to be violent, the pieces all clicked into place for Ed, unbelievable as they were.

"You were _jealous_?"

"No!" A red flush made all the brighter by his pale skin climbed over Roy's cheeks, however, as he barked the word. He lurched to his feet and began to pace in front of Ed. "I was furious! We might already be in the process of being dosed by a madman and you're putting everything in jeopardy by—by lusting after our _waiter_!"

"I wasn't doing anything! I told you he looked familiar," Ed growled, standing as well and turning to face Mustang. He snarled up into the man's face. "That's all it was! Didn't you think he did?"

Mustang's face twisted in fury and disbelief for a moment before he schooled it into his normal cool mask once again.

"No, he didn't. I've never seen him before. When do you think you saw him?"

"I don't know! That's what I was trying to figure out! Somewhere in town, I think… I'd remember if you helped and stopped being a _**JEALOUS BASTARD!**_"

The last words were nearly screamed and rang out with all the frustration that Ed currently felt. He even shocked himself with its intensity, and he stared wide-eyed at a seemingly equally shocked Mustang. They stared at each other like that for another minute or two before Mustang finally sat back down on the sofa again.

"All right then," he said in a weary voice. "You saw him in town. We haven't been to many places so far. Did you see him on the street?"

Ed thought for a moment, struggling to remember. Could he have seen him on the street? It was a very small town, so it'd be much easier to see notice and identify someone you passed on the street than in a city where there could possibly be hundreds of people that you passed each day. Still, he didn't think that was where he'd seen the host. He was usually lost in thought or arguing with Mustang when he was outside. Neither activity leant itself to identifying passing strangers.

He opened his mouth to say so, but a loud knocking, almost a banging, on the door stole the words from him. Ed glanced toward it, startled.

Mustang surprised him further by reaching up to pull him down into his lap. Ed managed a small sound of surprised protest before Mustang began hurriedly arranging him against his strong, warm chest.

_When does the bastard find time to work out? _

Ed had barely finished the thought when Mustang murmured a quick, "Act like a reconciling lover," in to his ear. Nodding, Ed allowed himself to sink into Mustang, hurriedly cuddling up like he'd once seen a young couple doing in the park as they watched their two year old play.

Meanwhile, Mustang called out a quick, "Come in!"

Bile rose in Ed's throat despite, or maybe because, of the comfortable position against his superior officer, and he swallowed hard to keep it from finishing the journey. He'd never thought he'd be in Mustang's lap like this and he'd _really_ never thought he—that he wouldn't hate it this much.

The door creaked open and footsteps, hesitant and soft, sounded as someone came into the room. Ed twisted to look over his shoulder and saw the innkeeper's anxious round face staring at the two of them, his hands wringing nervously in his stained and worn apron.

"Is everything alright?"

The innkeeper looked at them both as he asked, but his bright blue eyes settled on Ed's.

"Yes. Just a little misunderstanding," Mustang told him smoothly. Ed nodded his agreement even as Mustang continued, "Isn't that right, love?"

"It was nothing. Just…a small argument," Ed said, one hand clutching at Mustang's lapel for lack of anything better to do.

The innkeeper's eyes darted between them, obviously not reassured. Ed knew that look on his face only too well. He was wondering if he should call the sheriff.

"He never lets me forget one moment of weakness when I became jealous over the attention one of his friends was giving him," Mustang added in a light, mournful tone. "Every tiny argument we have… Does your spouse ever do that?"

The innkeeper looked between them again before a small smile began tugging at his lips. "She does. For me, it's the time I forgot her birthday."

Mustang gave the innkeeper a conspiratorial smile that made Ed want to hit him again. "But what would we do without our loves?"

The innkeeper nodded with a chuckle, "I wouldn't want to find out."

He turned and opened the door again. "Have a good night then, gentlemen. Try not to be too loud making up, please."

"Good night," Mustang called after him with a grin just before the door shut with a sharp click.

Ed stayed where he was for a few more minutes, waiting for the innkeeper to get far enough away. Then he turned and looked up at Mustang.

"What did he mean? Making up isn't—"

He stopped abruptly as he realized that Mustang was smirking at him. Why was Mustang smirking at him?

Ed's eyes went wide as he finally got it. His face flared hotly as he nearly flew off of Mustang's lap. They burned even hotter when Mustang threw his head back in raucous laughter.

Scowling, Ed paced to the opposite end of the sofa, snapping, "Can't we just discuss this case like normal people for once?" He threw himself back onto the couch, sorrowfully next to Roy again. It just wasn't that long a sofa, almost more of an elongated love seat.

He suddenly wanted to simply go to bed and forget that any of this was happening, but Ed knew that wouldn't help anything. They needed to discuss those interviews from earlier and find whoever was doing this. Even if it wasn't such an immediate situation, Ed hadn't been sleeping very well or deeply with no Al there. Going to bed wouldn't do him any good. He'd be just as tired when he got up, if not more.

Besides, he'd be sleeping next to Mustang, the very person he wanted to escape from.

"You could never be normal, Edward," Mustang said quietly, sobering suddenly. He looked sad now.

Ed wondered if that could be a slight against his height. He considered it for a moment, glowering darkly at Mustang, and then shrugged it off. If it was, he could always get revenge for it later.

"Do you think you're being dosed now?"

The cool, emotionless mask slid back into place over Mustang's features, the only sign he'd heard Ed at all. Ed watched Mustang stare into the fireplace pensively for a minute. Finally, without turning to look at Ed, Mustang answered.

"Yes. Which means you won't be far behind. We've a week, perhaps two, until they start on you. Then only a few days to a week or so before…"

Mustang's lips thinned and even from this angle Ed could see the fiery fury light in his dark blue eyes. Ed didn't think he'd ever seen Mustang this angry before. He was glad it wasn't directed at him.

"What do you think of the sheriff, Tisdale?"

The question was flat and business-like and so far removed from how their conversations so far had gone that Ed was caught off-guard. Ed swallowed as his mind turned to the gruff sheriff, his thoughts from earlier coming back to him again.

"He seems too smart and too strong to make all the mistakes we've seen so far." Ed paused a moment, trying once again to make sense of what had happened between Tisdale and Cranning. "He also has more power that it appears at first glance."

Mustang nodded in agreement. "He should have a file…"

"Either he destroyed it or Cranning's hiding it. I bet it's in his desk," Ed said, remembering how Cranning had seemed determined to keep himself stationed behind the thing. Was it just the terror of a weak-willed man, or had he been hiding something? "I could sneak in and—"

"No!" Mustang's voice snapped in the air between them like his fingers in battle and loudly enough to make Ed glance worriedly at the door. "You will not go near his office without me. We will be together constantly."

A snarl flew up Ed's throat, born from the red hot fire of anger that had suddenly flared in the pit of his stomach. He leaned forward, whether to argue or kill even Ed didn't know, when Mustang turned to pin him beneath dark, hard eyes. Time seemed to stop under that hot gaze.

"Think about it, Edward," Mustang told him in a low voice that matched his eyes for hardness. "Someone sent us here knowing about your past and our activities regarding it. I'm apparently already being dosed. It's only a matter of time before they get to you. We stand a better chance of surviving and getting back if we stay together."

Frowning, Ed grit his teeth. He hated how much sense Mustang was making.

"How can we work like that? You're suggesting we be practically stuck together at the hip!"

"We'll figure something out," Mustang said, not letting up on his stare. Then, abruptly, something changed and it lightened into a smirk. "And maybe this time I won't have to deal with so much paperwork for property damage."

"Shut up! I get the job done!"

Mustang snorted. "Yeah, and become a one-man demolition team in the process."

"Can I help it if nobody builds to building code?"

Mustang gave another snort, but his eyes were serious when they found Ed's again.

"Promise me you'll always stay in my sight?" He paused a moment before adding, "Or I can always order you to do so…"

"Bastard! You wouldn't! Since when do I listen to your orders anyway?"

Mustang didn't answer. He simply continued to stare deep into Ed's eyes and Ed felt as though the other's dark blue gaze could see straight through him.

"Fine," Ed growled, tearing his eyes away to stare into the fireplace. "But you stay in mine too. Hawkeye will kill me if I don't bring you back in one piece."

The tension in the room dissipated finally as Mustang sat back with a laugh. Ed grinned as though the idea of that gun being aimed at him didn't scare him witless. Perhaps that was why Mustang looked so good like that, draped over the back of the sofa, his hair and skin glowing in the lamplight.

"That's nice. It's okay for me to get killed as long as Hawkeye is the one that does it?"

Mustang just grinned at him in answer.

Ed sat back again and pulled his legs up under him on the couch.

"So was that why you decided to switch restaurants tonight?"

"Yes. If all the previous victims were predictable, we should try to be unpredictable. Perhaps then we can avoid being dosed."

"But they were dosed at both restaurants. The killer could work at both or at one and have an accomplice at the other. Or he could simply be following his victims."

Mustang nodded, his expression one of solemn thought. "Unfortunately, we don't have a kitchen here or any other choices, so this will have to do for now."

Frowning, Ed let his mind whirl around the thought, turning the facts over and over, inside and out, as he searched for another solution. He didn't much like the risks here, and without Al, he felt even more vulnerable than usual.

"How did you like the food tonight?"

Ed blinked, startled. Where had that come from?

"What? Why do you care? It was food and we'll be eating at the other place tomorrow night."

"Because of what those men said earlier. So which restaurant had the better food?"

Then it hit Ed. They'd said the food was the best they'd ever tasted at the one restaurant, which was why they returned there so often.

Panic flooded him, and he took a deep breath to steady himself.

"The food was…the best I've ever eaten," Ed admitted reluctantly.

Mustang looked as disturbed as Ed felt. He stood suddenly and pulled on his jacket.

"Come on. I need to make a phone call," Mustang said, heading quickly for the door.

"What? So why do I need to go? It's not raining out."

"Move it, Ed. I'm not leaving you alone here," Mustang said, stopping to glare back at Ed.

"They're not going to kill me yet," Ed grumbled even as he stood to follow.

"No chances, Edward."

Mustang's voice said clearly that he would allow for no arguments and Ed didn't really care to argue just then anyway. Instead, he wondered if he could call Al while they were on the phone.


	8. Chapter 7

Well, I managed to get the next chapter out faster than planned! It ended up being a little longer than planned too, though. The edit's a bit quick too… Sorry! Still, I'm both mean and nice to you all this chapter. Let's just say something happens which Roy and Ed will remember for a LONG time to come. It also starts letting you the reader in on a bit of the larger plot. ^_^ However… I also time skip a bit… The next week would have been mostly filler, so this and the next chapter will give the information necessary.

The next chapter might take a little while again. It's much longer. Sorry!

This time, I _REALLY_ invite constructive criticism. These kinds of scenes are not my strong point, so please let me know how I did so I can make them better in future. Thank you!

And again, thank you to everyone who favorited my story or put it on alert! And thank you to Persefone88, Doughnutwithsprinkels, and Amethyst-eyed Koneko, for your wonderful reviews! Is this fast enough for you? *grins* And I'm glad to have helped, Koneko! ^_^ I've been needing some good RoyEd too since that chapter. XD Also, a big thank you to windrider01 on lj for putting up with being my guinea pig/sorta beta. Poor thing. I must drive her batty! XD

And so, enjoy please!

Chapter 7

Ed was glaring at him again. Distracted though he was by the reports he was going through for the hundredth time that week, Roy could still feel the weight of Ed's hard, golden stare and the power of Ed's displeasure as though Ed was driving a sword through him. Normally, Roy could ignore it, but it had become especially annoying the last couple of days until now Roy felt as though he was being skinned alive every time Ed was upset at him. Which was even more often than usual recently. Ed was simply not built for anything requiring subtlety and patience, and whatever they were being drugged with was exaggerating his emotions just as much as it was exaggerating Roy's own.

Sighing, Roy sat back in his seat and looked up to meet Ed's eyes. It would be better to just get this fight over with. Roy could tell by the depth of the scowl on Ed's face that he wasn't overly angry. That meant this would all be over and Roy could return to what he had been doing as soon as Ed had vented his frustration a little.

"Yes? What is it that I've done now?" Roy deliberately kept his voice low as he spoke, hoping that Ed would follow his example.

"Why won't you ever listen to me?" Roy's ears rang with the frustrated roar of Ed's question. "I told you—"

"Ed! Please lower your voice," Roy interrupted through clenched teeth, his eyes darting to the door and back to Ed again.

Ed glowered, but did lower his voice.

"I told you I'd seen him somewhere besides Legume. I think I've seen him in the pub's kitchen!"

"I know. You've said," Roy replied, rubbing his temples. His temples were beginning to throb, as they often did now when he argued with Edward. "But I haven't seen him. And even if I had, half the staff works in both restaurants. Why are you so sure _he's_ the one connected to all this? Are you sure you're not—"

"Because I've seen him almost every time we've had dinner," Ed snapped, his eyes flashing a warning.

"The same could be said for some of the other wait staff. Why else? We've been over this. We can't risk breaking cover to investigate someone with so little to go on."

"He looks…at me…funny." Ed's voice had grown much softer now. He shifted nervously in his seat as a soft flush made its way over his enticing golden skin that Roy would be only too glad to escape from.

And it affected Roy far more than it should have. Surely, Ed wouldn't be this… this…_this_ on the other side of his desk, would he?

"Ed," Roy fought down his own attraction and the stirrings of something hot and lethal at the idea of someone making Ed this uncomfortable to ask. Concern that he struggled to control colored his voice as he continued, "Are you feeling alright?"

"You've become a handsome man, Ed," Roy told him, and tried not to notice the pang that resounded in him at the truth of those words.

Ed's blush deepened, making him look even more…delicious. Enough so that Roy's hands itched with the want to reach out and cool those cheeks personally.

"What are you saying? That I invite adultery? He's married to Sheriff Tisdale and I'm supposed to be married to you," Ed snapped, but his voice was breathier than usual.

That voice, like what Roy might imagine Ed's to be in the throes of passion, because he knew even then they'd snap and snarl and banter, undid something deep within him that Roy tried not to think about. It was getting harder though.

"Ed, are you feeling alright?" Roy could hear the concern in his own words, far more than was appropriate for a commanding officer. He let it go this time.

Ed stopped scowling and turned pale so fast Roy would have thought it impossible if he hadn't seen it. Understandably, Ed weaved where he sat from the sudden blood loss.

"J-Just because—"

"Answer the question," Roy growled. He leaned forward in his seat, ready to get up. He was really worried now.

There was a long moment of silence as Ed squirmed in his seat, the flush slowly returning.

"I-I'm just hot is all. You keep it too hot in here!"

Roy narrowed his eyes at the accusation and bit back his automatic cutting response. He knew if he said it the evening really would be shot. As it was, it might be just salvageable enough to get some good sleep in after this.

Besides, it was growing rather warm in the room.

"Fine," Roy snapped after a few moments. He stood, shoving his chair back from the desk, and moved quickly over to the window. He slammed the window open as soon as he reached it and growled, "There! I opened the window. Are you happy now?"

"No!"

Ed also stood and began pacing over to the bathroom door and then back to where Roy stood at the window. He looked like a trapped lion – graceful, but with a scowl teeming with frustration. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling chunks of long blond hair from the ponytail he'd been keeping it in for the mission. They fell, brushing over Ed's shoulders and enhancing his look of an elegant cat. Roy wondered just how badly Ed would kill him if he ever knew how much Roy wanted to pet him in that moment.

"There's something we're missing," Ed said, his voice now permanently harsh. "Something big. Someone's been drugging us since we got here, but they haven't shown themselves or tried anything. None of our attempts to catch or stop them drugging us have been effective." He paused to shoot Roy a look that said clearly whom he blamed for this. "And we can't find any leads because all the information or possible witnesses go missing."

"Or turn up dead," Roy reminded him as he closed the window again. He didn't think anyone was listening or could hear them, but he didn't want to take chances. It was Ed's life on the line, after all.

Ed began pacing toward Roy now, continuing on as if Roy had never spoken.

"That report on the sheriff is almost worthless. It doesn't tell us anything! And I'm worried about Al! They could—" Ed broke off, screwing his eyes shut as he willed the thought away. "But you won't even let me check on him!"

"If you talked with him, it could break our cover."

Ed opened his eyes to glare at him hard enough that Roy was thankful Ed couldn't do alchemy from a distance.

"I don't care! I just want to get away from here! I can sleep properly with him! I know my food isn't drugged! And I don't feel like crawling out of my skin with the heat you keep in here!"

Ed lunged for the window, sending a bolt of alarm leaping through Roy. He grabbed Ed as he passed and tried to put him in a headlock. Ed, however, was strong for being so short. He twisted and bucked in Roy's grip, nearly breaking free.

"Will you stop it! Stop," Roy growled in rising horror. Just what was Ed trying to do? Throw himself out the window?

And why was this little contest of wills making Roy react?

"Let me go! I need to open the window, you stupid pyromaniac!"

"After we've finished talking and you've calmed down," Roy grunted as one of Ed's elbows connected with his stomach.

"Fine! We're done!"

Ed whirled around in Roy's arms to glare up at him with bright, furious, _beautiful_ golden eyes framed by his bangs and the falls strands of hair. Without ever knowing why, Roy felt himself begin to fall into those eyes, pulled in by the sparks of anger in their depths. A roaring started in his ears, drowning out Ed's voice as he continued ranting.

Impossibly, in that next moment, Roy was kissing Ed. His mouth slanted just slightly over the other's for the perfect angle in which to dart his tongue out for a taste of Ed's bottom lip. Then Ed gasped and Roy plunged inside.

_This… This must be what Heaven tastes like._ The thought rolled dimly through Roy's mind, nearly smothered by the haze that invaded his brain.

He pulled Ed harder against him and tangled his tongue with the boy's— no, man's—own. A moan sounded from deep in Ed's chest. His hands clutched at Roy's arms, driving him on deeper and further into the kiss until suddenly Ed ripped himself away.

Shock and a deep cold filled Roy as he stared at Ed. Ed stared back at him, his face flushed not with embarrassment, but with a hot fierce passion that called to Roy even as reality settled back over him like a heavy rain over the city. Horror and satisfaction battled within him as he realized that _he_ had put that look on Edward Elric's face.

Finally, not knowing what else to say, Roy said, "They added an aphrodisiac this time."

"No shit!"

Ed turned and flew into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him loud enough to rattle the windows.

Roy flinched at the echoing, violent slam before walking back over to the sofa where he collapsed into the cushions. He willed his aching body down and gave a groaning sigh when it didn't work.

Whoever was responsible for this mess was going to pay dearly when Roy finally got within reach of them. Unfortunately, he doubted even the worst his flames could do would come close to the agony he and Ed would probably endure that night. Groaning, he wished for a full bottle of whiskey. Or, failing that, another bathroom.

The telephone operating board was good pay, but damn boring sometimes. Sunny Taylor had actually hoped for this type of job in college, but now that she had it, she found herself bored beyond tears. Especially since she had graduated the year before.

Of course, most would say that the graveyard shift wasn't meant to be exciting. Sunny would like to inform them that nothing this dead should ever bother the living. And from midnight to about six a.m., it was very dead.

Most nights, she played solitaire with a deck of cards she brought with her or she read a book. Tonight, however, she couldn't find much enthusiasm for either. Instead, she decided to put her engineering degree to use for once. It wasn't going to be used otherwise, right?

Carefully, she cut and spliced at her operating board, trying to keep it operable even as she worked to improve its efficiency. To her own amazement, she actually succeeded.

Mostly.

The work required her to listen in on the calls since that was the one way to be sure they were getting through alright. Sunny noted one late call from a husband to his irate wife was shaky and filled with a soft static. She played with her doctoring until it cleared. It was with that call, though, that Sunny noted a second plus to listening in. The calls provided endless amounts of amusement and inspiration for her work.

Normally, no operator was allowed to listen in, and there were systems and circuits to prevent just such an occurrence. For a short time, she considered leaving in a patch that would allow her to bypass them whenever she wanted, but that would be too easy to detect. She was bored, not stupid. Even if she had had anyone to tell, which she didn't, it could still get her fired.

Suddenly, her board lit up. A long distance call to someone in the city.

Sunny grinned, patching it through and plugging her headset in to listen.

"Yes?"

The voice was gravelly and familiar, but Sunny couldn't place it.

"Tomorrow's the day," said the soft voice of a young man, perhaps even a boy.

"Tomorrow? Isn't that a bit soon?"

Surprise raised the first voice, making it sound even more familiar. Sunny tried even harder to place it.

"I thought so, but _he_," the boy stressed the pronoun with an inflection that one might use for a despised idiot, "says that it will work this time."

"It had better." The gravel left the man's voice as it became hard and unyielding. "We still need them _both_ after this is over."

The boy snorted before replying, "I know that. This is why I disagreed with using Shorty in the first place."

"You know why we did. We'll just have to trust that damnable luck of his to see him through again."

"We gave them that new aphrodisiac. They should be going at it like bunnies as we speak."

"This amuses you?"

"Of course!" Sunny could almost hear a malicious grin in his voice. "I look forward to tormenting them both with it later on. After all, Shorty has never done this before, with anyone of either gender. I'm just sad I couldn't give him the education. But watching the guilt eat the horse alive after this will more than make up for it." He paused a moment. "And perhaps I could further his education later on?"

"Perhaps," the man agreed in a noncommittal tone. "But the aphrodisiac doesn't always create lust…"

"It will this time," the boy said confidently. "They don't like each other, but they don't hate each other. As long as they don't actually hate each other, the aphrodisiac will create lust in them. The other drugs have all lowered their inhibitions and played with their hormones to make them feel…closer than they normally would. The more attracted to each other they are, the better it will work. The drugs will give it all the boost it needs to bring down our heroes."

The man chuckled into the phone. "Fine, fine. Just remember, your…'lover' must not be around for questioning afterwards. We want to give this case a clean close after this. Everything must look legitimate."

"Don't worry. I'll enjoy doing the pervert in."

"I'll be seeing you soon then."

"You know it."

The lines were cut with a pair of clicks and Sunny rushed to disconnect them before leaning back in her chair to stare in amazement at her operating board.

Had she really just heard that? Was someone, possibly a few people, about to be murdered? And even worse, _raped_?

She should call the police!

And tell them what? That she broke into her operating board, listened in on someone's private conversation, and had absolutely no clue who exactly was about to be killed? Or where?

The call had been long distance, so she couldn't be sure exactly where it came from. She could back track the source of the call, but she'd taken apart the piece that would tell her the forwarding board as well. Where it had gone though…?

Sunny checked her board again and gasped, terror filtering through her. It had gone to a section of the city that housed only the highest echelons of the military, including the Fuhrer!

Swallowing hard, Sunny hurried to put her board back exactly the way she'd found it, hoping and praying no one would discover what she'd done tonight. Especially if those men realized their call hadn't been as private as it'd been meant to be.

Perhaps she should try looking for another job again.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 is here! And we're nearing the end of this arc! The poor guys. I really torture them this time. Sorry for the horrible cliffhanger ending! I'll try to get Chapter 9 up soon, but I killed my hand coming home from Thanksgiving yesterday, so it might be a while again. Typing is currently...slightly difficult. And no insurance til the first. Lovely. XD

And due to sexual situations and thoughts that can get slightly graphic, this chapter is rated R I think. Sorry!

Thank you to everyone who has favorited or watched this story! And especially thank you to everyone who commented: Sisyphean Effort, thunder arrow alchemist, Amethyst-eyed Koneko, TheOneYouCallWe, Atsuko Uehara, and happie2bme! Sorry for the long wait! Hopefully now that I'm moved back to the States, the wait won't be so long again!

Also, sorry about the abrupt change between POV last chapter. I kinda forgot that takes out line breaks. *grumbles at * XD

As always, enjoy! I've only given it a superficial edit due to my hand, so if you note anything odd, please tell me!

Chapter 8

Ed stared at the sunlight that slanted through the frosted window of their room's en suite bathroom. He blinked a couple times, his mind unable to comprehend what it was seeing at first. A huge wall of sleepiness and dull pain stood between his sight and his brain. Eventually, though, comprehension forced its way through the mental sludge to establish a connection.

It was morning.

He had just spent all night in the bathroom. On the cold, hard _tile_ floor.

He shifted and groaned at the pain that shot through his lower body. He hadn't noticed it last night—hadn't noticed much of anything last night not related to his raging arousal burning him from the inside out—but the floor was absolutely freezing. His poor hips were frozen stiff from his time on the floor and the flesh parts of his legs weren't that much better off. The left one was numb, in fact.

Groaning again, Ed managed to shift his feet under him and push himself into a kneeling position. Holding onto the wall for support, he waited a moment to balance himself and then began slowly pushing up along the wall. His automail foot slipped suddenly on the tile, nearly sending him crashing into the toilet beside him. Ed caught the edge of the windowsill just in time to stop his splashing into the porcelain bowl, however. Cautiously, he finished pulling himself up and rested back against the window, his head against the glass.

Steadied now, he slowly, carefully stretched out his muscles, trying to relieve the stiffness, pain, and numbness that held his body in their frozen clutches. Ed rubbed at his hips, trying to massage the feeling back into them, and sighed as it began to work. Slowly, too slowly for Ed, his muscles began to relax and thaw. The pain increased for a moment, and he bit his lip to keep from crying out.

After a few minutes of this, Ed pushed off the wall and stumbled over to the sink counter. He leaned heavily on the fake marble top, feeling the chill run up his arms, and tried desperately to ignore the continuing screaming protests of his lower limbs. It was a battle not to scream now, but he distracted himself with remembering not to squeeze the counter so tightly that it broke under his automail. He did not want to even _think_ about Mustang's explanation to the innkeeper for that.

_Mustang…_

Ed flinched at the memory of the night before and took a deep steadying breath. He had no idea what he'd been drugged with, but that stuff had been _strong_!

With a scowl, he glanced over at where he'd kicked his pants and underwear the night before. They were bunched up together, one inside the other. He'd been so frantic to get them off, to do what his body had been screaming for, that the pant legs were pulled through the legs of the black briefs.

Ed flushed slightly at the sight, remembering all too clearly the urgency that had driven him. He would usually tell Al about such a feat, turn it into an amusing story to distract them both at some point, but all Ed wanted to do was forget it now.

Forget the wild, furious heat that had burned through his veins, setting all his nerves on fire and making it nearly impossible to think. Nearly, but not quite.

Thoughts of Mustang—his taste, his touch, his _voice_—had haunted Ed, filled him, driven him to distraction as he'd frantically worked and touched and pumped him to completion. And then they'd prodded him on, stoked the furnace of his desires until he'd cum three more times. Ed had to marvel at how he'd managed that at all. Everything had been so frantic and heated. Even now, it seemed like a drunken memory, only real because he could feel it in his aches and see the evidence of it in the gobs of toilet paper and lotion bottles he'd used.

Whoever had done this, Ed was going to find them and _kill_ them. Brutally. Slowly. Ruthlessly.

Just as soon as he could find the strength to pull on his pants again.

Ed looked at the door and swallowed. He'd faced down monsters and mad killers without flinching, but just the thought of seeing Mustang again made his stomach twist with terror and shame. How could he face him after what he'd done the night before? After what they'd both done?

He'd heard Mustang calling his name through the door. He knew that couldn't have been just his imagination. And knowing that they'd both been drugged with the aphrodisiac didn't make it any easier. He did not want to face Mustang again so soon.

But there was no helping it. He'd have to leave eventually. Would Mustang be angry? Or would he try to ignore it all?

Ed's stomach twisted itself in knots even as he hoped Mustang would simply ignore it all. That would make things so much easier.

Moving as swiftly as he could, Ed stumbled to the shower and turned it on. He let it warm for a few moments as he finished undressing himself and then stepped in under the gentle spray.

He stayed still for a few minutes, letting the heat beat his abused muscles and massage the aches from his body. Then he set about washing himself, determinedly keeping his thoughts on what he was doing. If he let his mind wander now, he'd never gain the distance he needed to face Mustang.

Even just restraining his thoughts was difficult, however, and Ed found himself having to concentrate hard on it.

Finally, he was clean, dry, and redressed in his clothes from the day before, but no more ready to face his commanding officer than he'd been before his shower. Ed faced the door like it was a dangerous chimera and took a deep, fortifying breath. He reached out, turned the knob, and pushed the door open to reveal Mustang just on the other side.

Wide dark eyes met Ed's and his lips parted in a look of deep shock. The shock quickly melted away into an expression of utter uncertainty that lasted only a moment before the usual mask fell into place over Mustang's handsome features.

Strangely, Ed found himself missing the evidence of Mustang's humanity. The other man looked even more attractive than usual when he allowed his emotions to show through.

Wait. Attractive? Handsome?

It was then that Ed found his gaze roving over the other man. He took in Mustang's hard physique, which somehow only looked better with the slight softness years of working behind a desk had leant his sharp-edged planes; pale yet radiant skin; surprisingly soft lips that Ed could still feel ghosting over his own; and eyes that Ed somehow found himself willingly, gleefully falling into.

Ed tried to pull himself back, but it was no use. He was hypnotized by their glittering azure depths.

Mustang didn't appear to have any problems, however. He pulled his eyes away and stared at the wall beside Ed's head, letting Ed from the spell he'd fallen under.

"Are you alright?" The question was softly spoken in a voice that cracked with stress and weariness. "I was just coming to see what had happened to you. I was worried you'd fallen in."

The joke was a sad attempt at their usual banter, and Ed simply didn't feel up to getting angry over it. Instead, he shrugged, moving out of the way.

"I'm fine. Bathroom's yours."

Mustang gave a curt nod and moved quickly inside. The door shut with a hard click that left Ed in no doubt how much Mustang must have needed inside. The man had probably been holding it all night.

At long last, Ed managed a small smile at Mustang's misfortune and set to changing into a clean set of clothes. Studiously, he kept his mind off of Mustang and on what he was doing. He picked out his clothes and pulled them on far more carefully than he ever had before, though he found himself wishing for his customary leather pants. He wasn't allowed them here. His automail arm might be known, but they had wanted to keep his leg a secret. The cotton was a poor second to the durability of leather for automail, but he had managed somehow. He would never view someone wearing loose pants the same way again, though.

Next, he redid his hair. Ed wasn't normally so fussy, not really caring if his activities had mussed it, but today he did it anyway, simply to keep himself occupied. Plus, this would help it dry just that much faster.

He brushed it again, noticing for the first time just how very long it had become. It was halfway down his back now! Then he pulled it into a high ponytail, taking care not to allow for any bumps to be left.

He had saved his socks and the glove for his automail hand for last, but now Ed pulled them on before sitting back on the sofa, wondering what he could do next. There was nothing, and his mind, caged for too long, finally broke free.

What exactly had happened yesterday? They'd been drugged yet again, but how exactly had things spiraled so out of control?

Everything had gone as usual for them during the day. He and Mustang had gone house hunting, which consisted more of chatting up their realtor, the town gossip, than actually considering any of the few apartments or houses the town had to offer. Every day, they talked with the chatty woman as they looked through each of the offerings and even revisited a few of them. The realtor, Mrs Emmaline Scott, didn't seem to mind their reluctance to make a choice, preferring to chat and tell them everything about the town. In fact, Ed suspected she was only a bigger town gossip than the mayor because of her love of talking. Not that it made her any less of a flirt. Only the mayor could rival her there.

Emmaline's flirtation, unlike the mayor's, was the harmless sort that actually made Ed laugh as he watched her and Mustang dance about each other. It was obvious neither of them were interested in the other in the least, so Ed didn't even bother pretending to be upset over it. Instead, he made it a joke he could tease Mustang about in the company of others, which always set the older man to scowling and everyone around them to chuckling knowingly.

Ed never let the thought that he was disturbed by the thought that Mustang would actually like to flirt with any of the women in town actually take root either. It was only annoyance or boredom that drove Ed to taunt Mustang whenever he seemed to be looking more closely at a woman. And perhaps it was only heartburn that tightened Ed's chest as well.

Yesterday had been the same as every other day for the past week. Mustang and Emmaline had somehow managed to flirt outrageously with each other while still managing to gossip when the conversation had turned to a local contractor who could build them a custom home of their own design since they didn't seem overly interested in anything the town already had to offer.

"_No, no," Mustang laughed. "Ed is just being picky. In fact, I think the only thing he's not picky about is food. I'm convinced he'll eat anything if it'll hold still long enough." _

_Ed glared at him for that comment from where he was inspecting a fireplace while Emmaline laughed._

"_Well, it's sometimes good to be picky."_

"_Yeah," Ed agreed, still glaring. "Besides, just because we're married doesn't mean we have to be tripping over each other all the time."_

"_I'm not the one given to spreading out, honey," Mustang countered. His grin left no one in doubt where he meant._

_Emmaline chortled, seeming even more amused than she had been before. She gave Ed a knowing smile before she turned her large doe eyes back on Mustang._

"_Well, now that he's got his man, and a hunk of one too, perhaps he's thinking of the future? A little one or two? We've a few very good adoption agencies willing to work with our citizens."_

_If it hadn't been for Mustang's gob-smacked look, Ed might have given himself away then. As it was, his brain skittered to a halt as he simultaneously noted that he liked that particular wide-eyed, open-mouthed look of surprise on Mustang's face and tried to process the idea of adopting children with _Roy Mustang_. _

"_Wha—" he finally managed after a moment. He was unable to voice anything more, his mind racing for a way to protest without looking suspicious. _

"_I'm sorry! I hadn't realized! Were you waiting for the right time to bring it up with him?" Emmaline looked between her, her eyes wide in an expression of true horror. She may be a gossip and a flirt, but Ed doubted there was a truly malicious bone in her body._

"_Um…" Ed didn't know how to respond to that, so he let the flush he'd been fighting creep over his face. He found he couldn't meet Mustang's eyes, despite feeling them burning into him._

"_Oh… I'm so sorry. So so sorry!" Emmaline looked quickly between them, wringing her hands. _

"_It's alright," Mustang finally said, his voice blank, controlled. "You couldn't have known."_

_Emmaline shook her head, her eyes shining suspiciously bright. "No! No, no, no! I shouldn't have! It's not an uncommon want! Why even John Tisdale does!" She paused a moment, then added, "Though, I think he wants to actually _have_ the baby. If you know what I mean."_

_Ed's ears perked at that and he snapped his eyes up to stare at her. "What?"_

"_Really?" Mustang echoed him, traces of his colonel persona sneaking into his voice._

_She continued on, seemingly oblivious as she continued her frantic apology. She had taken them back to the hotel then, still apologizing profusely all the way. Ed had no trouble imagining her apologizing every time she saw them for the rest of their stay in Tramston. _

By the time they had arrived back at the hotel, it had been time for dinner. They had eaten before retreating upstairs to discuss the investigation. The discussion had quickly degenerated into an argument without much of anything being agreed on except waiting to continue when they could both speak to each other like the civilized men they were. Not that that had worked in the end.

Frowning, Ed flopped sideways onto the sofa, allowing his sore exhausted body to sink into the cushions.

An aphrodisiac in their food… In their usual dosing of the drug? It had to have been a strong dose as well, given how quickly their tempers had risen the night before. It also took something special to drive him into _Roy Mustang's_ arms. And they were experimenting with making a chimera of both the male and female genders. Could this be someone with a purpose beyond simply being a sick perverted madman?

The memory of what Emmaline had revealed the day before floated back to him again. Sheriff Tisdale had seemed a bit too knowledgeable about alchemy, but Ed had put it off as the little bit most people knew and the lessons learned during a career in which he had undoubtedly chased a couple homicidal and criminally negligent alchemists. It wasn't too much to expect from an experienced sheriff. Ed had chased enough alchemists in small towns to know that—but could Tisdale possibly be one himself?

Roy—no, Mustang!—came out of the bathroom looking showered and better than he had before, but still about as bad as Ed felt. Dark circles curved under his eyes like smudged eyeliner, his face and lips were even paler than normal, and his shoulders held a slump to them that Ed didn't think he'd ever seen on the man before.

Ed breathed in, readying a comment, but then Roy's—Mustang's!—eyes met his. The words died in his throat as the universe contracted down to just the pair of them. Ed's heart began a frantic beat and the memory of the night before crowded into Ed's mind once again. Even from across the room, Ed could have sworn he felt the other's heat warming him as much as the memory of his recent desperate activities.

Neither of them moved. They both simply stared at the other as if pinned in place, immobile and entirely wrapped up in what they were feeling. And then, Mustang pulled his gaze away, leaving Ed free and somehow disappointed.

Growling angrily at himself, Ed looked away and twisted around to lie on his back, one arm slung over his eyes. He couldn't, wouldn't, look at Ro—Mustang. He simply wouldn't. It was too dangerous. Too embarrassing.

"We need to be more careful now," Mustang said, his voice rasping hoarsely out of his throat. "The timetable seems fast, but if these people hold to the normal chain of events, they will come after you today. Tomorrow at the latest."

Relief flooded through Ed, followed quickly by his muscles tensing in anticipation of the expected fight to come. He was in even more danger than usual now, but at least that meant everything was coming to an end. No more twisted guts. No more having to pretend to be someone he wasn't. No more being drugged. No more having to coo at a man Ed was sure was imagining a woman every time he cooed back. No more of—of this!

Ed just wanted everything to go back to its normal routine. The ones that didn't lead to dangerous thoughts and wishes that he should not be having.

And if Ed was honest with himself, he'd admit that it was those wishes and thoughts that scared him most of all. Because he hadn't left Central like that. It was something new and very unwelcome.

"So I'm bait then."

Silence answered Ed. It dragged on and on until it seemed to infiltrate his veins and dragged his arm from over his face. His eyes sought out Roy and found him staring into the unlit fireplace, his face a pensive mask of uncertainty.

"It'd be the smart thing to do," Roy said finally, his voice tight. "But we'd have to do it perfectly. Make him come out into our field so that we'd have the advantage. Even then, it would be evening things up. This is his town. He's probably been here all his life. I would have to plan it all down to the finest detail, and we don't have the time for that." Disgust at himself and their situation was clear in Roy's tone by the time he finished.

He clenched his fists and visibly bit back a snarl of frustration. "It's even possible he already knows who we are!"

"I don't think so. He'd have either killed us outright or left us alone if he knew who we are," Ed countered, sounding calmer than he felt. "Instead, he moved up the schedule. Time's running out, but I think it's only because he knows he's being investigated by the Army, not who's doing the investigation."

"Don't be so sure of that," Mustang said. He ran a hand absently through his hair. "He could simply be arrogant enough to think it won't matter or just be that desperate."

"So what do you suggest we do then?" Irritation turned Ed's question into a snarl, a scowl taking over his features as he finished.

"We call for back up and don't let him get a chance to come near you before they arrive."

Ed blinked at Mustang for a moment, and then burst into laughter. He rolled back onto his side and pushed himself up, still laughing as Mustang leveled his own glare on him.

"I thought the plan was to use me as bait? If we wait for the others now, we might lose our chance! Or scare him off," Ed argued incredulously. "Besides, we haven't managed to stop him dosing our food, how are we going to stop him coming for me before we're ready?"

Mustang gave him the icy glare usually reserved for when Ed's actions had caused him extra paperwork. This time, however, Ed noticed that his hands were clenched at his sides and his jaw muscles were tight as they worked at biting back his initial retort.

Swallowing, Ed forced himself to meet Mustang's glare with one of his own.

"So you want to be killed? You want him to catch you and experiment on you? He could do anything to you!"

"No, but I won't run away. There's nowhere _to_ run. We don't even know who he is! Anything we do could just get me caught faster."

Ed could see the frustrated fury lighting Roy's eyes before he whirled around with a barely stifled growl and stalked over to the window.

"We should just let them take me. Give them an opportunity as you watch from a distance, and then—"

"No!" Mustang spun back around to face him again. "It's too risky! We don't know who it is or what exactly we're faced with. All we know are the results of their actions and a timeline they aren't even following anymore!" He pinned Ed beneath a hard stare. "I want to have back up and a plan before we do anything!"

"I—"

"No, Ed! I'm not arguing this with you! It's an order."

Ed stared in disbelief at Mustang, unsure if he was more angry at the order itself or more stunned at the icy tone in which it was delivered. He'd heard that tone before. It held a cold fury laden with the promise of ill-fortune that was usually reserved for only the stupidest recruits in Mustang's command after they'd severely screwed in only the dumbest and most spectacular of ways. Ed had never had it directed at him before, and he'd never heard it quite like this. This time it held an undercurrent of something else, something desperate, dangerous.

"We can use the mayor's phone," Mustang continued, sounding only slightly calmer and distracted. "Chances of him abandoning his work now when it's so close to the end are slim, so it doesn't matter if he knows or doesn't know. Hawkeye and Havoc can be here with reinforcements before midnight and then we can proceed from there."

Ed scowled at Mustang a little longer before flopping back across couch. "We have a few suspects in mind. Why don't you just arrest them and question them while we wait? It'll do about as much good."

"Stop behaving like a child, Edward," Mustang snapped. With long, quick strides, he snatched on his coat and pulled it on. "Come on. We need to call now, before we lose any more time."

"I'm not a kid." Ed shot his deadliest glare at Mustang and didn't move. "And I'm staying here. It's me he wants, so here should be the safest place until you get your brain back and take the most logical course of action."

Mustang glared at him a minute longer, looking like he'd like to throttle Ed, before he spun on his heel and marched to the door.

"Fine. I'll lock the door. Don't let anyone in. Don't even answer through the door!"

"I said I'm not a kid," Ed snarled, sitting up again with murder in his eyes.

The effect was lost on Mustang. He was already out the door and closing it firmly behind him. The lock clicked closed, and Ed growled in his own frustrated fury. Sweeping a hand out, he sent everything flying off the coffee table in front of him and one of his books flying across the room. It didn't help in the slightest.

He let himself fall back against the cushion with a groan.

When did the colonel get so—so—so stupid? So smothering and arrogant? He had always been an arrogant bastard, but now it was ten times worse! Could it only be the drug? Or was this his true self?

It wasn't like Ed was around the office enough to know. Normally he was halfway across the country from the man, not stuck in the same hotel room in the same tiny town in the middle of _nowhere_ with him. Ed couldn't wait to put that distance between them again if Ro—Mustang was going to be like this!

Grabbing a pillow, Ed hid his face from the light and lay face down on the sofa. He might as well get some sleep. He was going to need it soon, whether Mustang liked it or not he suspected.

Ed let the many different arrays and formulas take over his mind, calming him until he could feel the creep of darkness making its way over him, pulling him down into sleep's warm embrace. Racing thoughts became still in the face of arrays and formulas that Ed let drift through his mind.

Suddenly, he shot back up with a curse. He'd forgotten to tell Roy about the sheriff and his husband!

He gave another growl of frustration as he cursed their tendency to fight. Why didn't he tell Roy this before? Why?

It hadn't been that long. Maybe he could still catch him… If not, he'd just come straight back. It could wait if it had to, but Ed just didn't like the idea of Roy running into the man without knowing.

He scrambled up and ran after Roy, stumbling and cursing the previous night again as he went.

Roy stormed down the hall to the top of the stairs, where he stopped and took a deep breath.

This was insane. Where was his calm? His composure had all but disappeared in little more than a week.

Slowly shaking his head, he let out his breath in a harsh sigh. Then he repeated his breathing exercise (deep breath, let it out, deep breath, let it out) again and again until his control was back in place. Only just barely, though, Roy knew. Perhaps the walk to the mayor's would help. Waiting wasn't going to help anything.

So why was he reluctant?

He swallowed another annoyed growl and swiftly made his way down the stairs and out of the hotel, not stopping even to talk to the innkeeper. Especially that nosey innkeeper, who had looked like he wanted to talk.

It was cloudy with the promise of rain thick in the air. He scowled angrily and marched down the street, not noticing much of anything along the way. A few people scurried out of his path, shaking their heads at his expression as he passed. By day's end, the rumor would be that the new couple had just had their first real fight, but for now they wisely kept out of his way.

He used the secret passage to the mayor's office out of mainly habit and didn't hesitate until the door had slammed shut behind him. Thankfully, only the mayor was there, slumped over his desk asleep.

Sparing himself a moment to berate himself of his indiscretion, he stomped loudly over to the mayor. The man hadn't stirred at the slamming of the door or the sound of Roy stomping, and he still didn't when Roy shook him roughly.

Roy let out another growl of irritation. He had neither the time nor the patience for this! He had to make this call and get back to Ed before the little trouble-maker stumbled over the killer without him.

Feeling an icy mask slip fully into place at the thought, Roy shook Cranning hard enough to knock him over. The man caught himself just in time, unfortunately so in Roy's opinion, and he jerked himself back into his seat, turning to stare in wide-eyed fright up at Roy as he scrambled to gather and hide the pictures covering his desk where he'd been sleeping.

"Wha—What? What are you doing here? I don't remember us agreeing to meet again so soon…" Cranning whimpered, his skin blanching pale white as he took in Roy's appearance.

Roy looked down at the pictures covering the man's desk. He hadn't been fast enough or good enough to hide all of them, and Roy could see that nearly all of those left out were of naked young men about Ed's age. In fact, aside from a few differences (that one's eyes…that one's nose and hairstyle…), a few of them actually looked like Ed. Roy felt his stomach turn and could taste the bile in his throat.

"W-Wh-Where's Ed? Didn't he—"

"None of your business," Roy snapped, just managing to control the wild rise of fury. He only wished he could still his churning stomach as well. "I need your phone. And you need to find a reason to have the sheriff meet you here tomorrow morning."

"Wh-Why? What do you want with him?"

Cranning reached for the phone and handed Roy the handset, his hand trembling slightly with obvious terror.

"You don't need to know. Now be quiet," Roy ordered, dialing for a secure line to Havoc.

He only needed to be civil to the man a little longer, he soothed himself, wishing his could simply click his fingers and cleanse the town of its resident pervert. Its resident murderer as well. Then Ed would be safe, the town would be safe, and life could go back to normal.

The phone only rang a couple times before Falman's monotone voice answered.

"They've targeted Ed," Roy said brusquely, not bothering with any kind of greeting. "They'll be coming for him either today or tomorrow. How soon can you be here?"

"There's already a team nearby," Falman answered, his tone clipped. None of Roy's team took well to one of their own being threatened, and Ed was definitely one of their own by now. "Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye and Captain Havoc are with them."

"Good. Tell them to meet me—"

The office door slammed open, sending a few of the mayor's pictures flying in the wind. Cranning grabbed for them, making Roy growl a warning to him in irritation.

Why hadn't he put those away already? Didn't he know there were more important things to do than look at dirty pictures?

Roy's finger itched again to snap and burn them. He stifled the urge and looked over to the door, meeting Cranning's secretary, Clara, with a glare. Both she and Falman spoke at the same time.

"Oh… This is where you were… I didn't—I mean, I wouldn't have—"

"Sir? Is everything alright?"

"You were looking for me," Roy said flatly, ignoring Falman for the moment. He moved the phone slightly so that he wasn't speaking directly into it.

"Um… No. I—"

Clara looked uncertainly at Cranning and then back at Roy, but now the uncertainty was giving way to pity. Roy felt his stomach churn before hollowing out.

"Ed."

It wasn't a question, but the woman nodded anyway.

"Brant, the innkeeper, said that he tried to catch you when you left, but he just missed you. So he said he'd just talk to you when you got back and went back to your room. But Brant thought he looked sore and kinda tired, so he got him a tray of food and some tea to bring up. And, you know, something to help with _those_ kinda sores. But—"

She stopped suddenly, her words seeming to catch in her throat.

Roy knew what came next though. He had to confirm it, but he knew what came next. His eyes slid closed as if to block out the images of Ed, his body mutilated and bloody, dead on the couch he so loved to sprawl across. They came anyway.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he asked, "But?"

He heard her swallow hard.

"But—he wasn't there and the room was a mess with the door left open and bloody."


	10. Chapter 9

Well, here's Chapter 9! I almost made it longer, but that would make this chapter about as long as the last one and have ended it on another nasty cliffhanger. To spare you the nasty cliffy, and my injured hand the typing of a horribly long chapter (I admit it, I suck), I present you with Chapter 9—the shorter version. Next chapter is looking to be really long again though…

Thank you again to everyone who faved this story or put it on alert! I always take that to mean I'm doing something right! And a really big thank you to my reviewers:

Sisyphean Effort: Thank you! Sorry it took me so long!

Amethyst-eyed Koneko: Sorry it took me so long! I'm glad you enjoyed it though! This is a minor, set-up arc though. So let's just say that little surprise of no sex between Roy and Ed was a GOOD thing for poor Ed. Tisdale is not the main baddie. ~.^

Shane: Wow… Harsh, man! Dunno if ANYone deserves what's gonna happen to Ed. XD

Who'reUCallingAPipsqeakMidget: Here it is! I hope you enjoy!

RPSorrow: Wow… Thank you for such a nice review! It more than makes up for not favoriting I think. ~.^ I'm very happy you have enjoyed my story! I'm trying to make it good. ^_^ Also, thank you for your well-wishes on my hand. It doesn't appear broken and seems to be getting better, though the brace is still annoying. XD I hope you continue to enjoy!

Also, I hope no one minds my being shameless here, but... I have a survey up at http: /www .surveymonkey .com/ s/ RMVDHVW. It's very short (8 questions!) and on heroes, specifically, your idea of a hero. Could I please ask people who are interested to please take my survey? Thank you! I want to write an article and this is part of my research process. I might make a longer one later based on the results as well. Thank you if you do take it! ^_^

Once again, I hope everyone enjoys! Constructive criticism is always welcome and well-loved. ^_^

Chapter 9

The Tisdale kitchen, the entire house for that matter, was totally clean. It was so clean it practically sparkled despite its apparent age. A place this clean could only mean one of two things: either its occupants were obsessed with cleaning or they weren't planning on returning.

Roy glared into the shiny steel base as he let Cranning prattle on beside him. Someone else patted his arm and murmured something in a soothing tone, but Roy ignored them. The same as he ignored the other townspeople who had all followed him after he'd stormed from viewing the hotel room he had shared with Ed.

"Are you sure? The sheriff isn't in his office? But—But if he's not here… Where could he—" a disbelieving voice cut into Roy's thoughts from behind him.

Someone else shushed the man, and Roy knew they were looking at him, attempting to be respectful of his loss. That infuriated him as much as anything else.

"Let's go back into town, dear," said a voice Roy vaguely recognized. He looked down to find Emmaline, her lips drooping and her eyes sparkling with sad sympathy, at his elbow. "Don't worry. We'll find Sheriff Tisdale, and then we'll all find your Ed." Roy felt a growl rise in his throat, but she continued on, oblivious to the rage boiling inside him. "Perhaps John will know—"

"John Tisdale?" Roy pinned her beneath his hardest stare, the one that had been known to send wet-behind-the-ears private running. "What did you say before? About his wanting a baby?"

His men might be hours away, but he was still a Colonel in the army. More than that, he was a State Alchemist and a decorated war hero. His subordinate's life was in danger, and Roy figured himself more than capable of burning some insane two-bit alchemist to a crisp. Especially if said insane two-bit had harmed Edward.

"Just that—he wants one," she answered, surprise and uncertainty clear on her face.

"No. You said he wanted to _have_ it!"

Roy spun on his heel and advanced on Cranning, pulling out a pair of balled up white gloves as he went.

"Cranning. I'm going to answer you again. You had better answer me truthfully. What did Tisdale mean when he said not to forget that "other thing?"

Cranning gave an involuntary shudder, his eyes wide with fear and his face rapidly draining of all color. He gaped at Roy for a moment, and then his eyes shot about the room at the others. Most had gone quiet, frozen in shock at Roy's dangerous change in persona, and were watching their exchange. No one was going to help the mayor any time soon.

"N-nothing! I told you—"

"No," Roy snarled savagely. "I want the truth! While there's still time!"

He unrolled the gloves and slipped them slowly onto first one hand, then the other, all the while making sure the array on the back could be clearly seen.

Gasps travelled about the room like soft little explosions. His face might not be widely known, but his gloves and name were famous all over Amestris.

"The Flame Alchemist…" someone finally said, awed surprise making his voice husky.

The tension in the house rose perceptibly. Sweat began to trickle down Cranning's pasty face and he gulped.

"I—I—I can't! I can't! He'll kill me!"

Roy's eyes narrowed to thin slits as he raised one gloved hand, fingers poised to snap.

"Eight young men are already dead, _mutilated_. Now Ed may very well be suffering the same fate. Do you really think the army will think twice about my burning alive the man who prevented me from finding the Fullmetal Alchemist before he was killed?"

Everyone apparently had stopped to watch, and there were several more gasps around the room, along with a few versions of, "That pipsqueak was the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Roy half-expected Ed to magically appear out of nowhere to give his customary angry rant for being called small. He found himself disappointed and even more infuriated that Ed didn't—couldn't.

"Tell me what I need to know, Mayor Cranning."

Roy's voice went beyond icy and straight to holding all the fires of hell in just those few words.

Cranning shivered and closed his eyes as though taking the last few steps to the gallows.

"Tisdale has a house over by the East Pool Forest. It was John's from when he moved here with his family."

"Nice and isolated," Roy commented, his tone just as furious. It was all the more terrifying for its steadiness, Roy could tell from Cranning's reactions. "Were you also hiding the fact that Tisdale is an alchemist? Or is it John?"

Cranning's form slumped, and he stumbled back into a wall. He shook his head as though to deny it, but which question Roy didn't, and had to, know.

"Neither of them's an alchemist,"Emmaline breathed, bravely, if hesitantly, coming over to stand by Roy. One tentative hand came up to rest on his raised arm. "I promise—"

She froze when Roy turned his glare on her, her eyes lighting with terror at the cold steel he knew she must be seeing there. She bit her lip, flinching with a little cry when he snapped his fingers. But it was Cranning who screamed.

Roy looked back over at him, taking in the bright red welt that ran from his chin to the back of his cheek just below the cheekbone before Cranning covered it with his hand.

"Who is it, Cranning?"

"Miles! It's Miles," Cranning whimpered finally. "H-he's been studying it since we were kids. Quit med school to come back here and devote more time to it."

The smile Roy gave Cranning was possibly more terrifying than his glare, he knew from too much experience, but at that moment he didn't care. He was glad for it. In his eyes, this weak coward of a man was as much to blame as the Tisdales.

Roy turned back to Emmaline and nodded in an attempt to be respectful. "The rest of my team will be arriving at the hotel in town soon. Please meet them and tell them to meet me at John Tisdale's."

He waited for her quick, shocked nod before turning to one of the other men in the room. "I'll need to borrow a car and get some directions."

The man shook his head.

"No. We're coming with you. They killed our people, gave our town a bad name, and lied to us all, but the Tisdales are still one of us. They're ours to handle." He paused, and then quickly added, "With your help, of course. He still has your Ed after all."

Roy didn't bother to correct or argue with the man, he just nodded his assent and ignore the little skipped beat of his heart when the man called Ed his.

"You follow my orders. I don't want any more lives lost to these madmen if I can help it."

There was a murmur of both dissent and surprise at that, but Roy ignored it as he glanced back at Cranning. "Someone lock him up. He'll be under arrest after this."

Roy wasn't wearing his uniform and he certainly wasn't keeping his fingers in a snapping position within this crowd, but when his made his way to the door then, the townspeople parted respectfully before him. He pretended it wasn't a respect laced with fear and that he cared if it was. All that truly mattered to him now was that he find Edward in time.

* * *

Ed woke slowly to what he considered to the granddaddy of all headaches. Fortunately, the thick, heavy cotton that seemed to be wrapped very tightly around every last one of his nerves kept the edge off of the pain for him.

_What happened… _he wondered muzzily as he blinked his eyes open.

Fighting through the cotton and blinking to clear his vision, Ed managed a vague memory of returning to his room after missing Roy. He'd opened the door, gone inside, and then…

And then there'd been a sharp pain in his neck.

Silently cursing because his mouth and vocal cords refused to cooperate, Ed struggled to raise a hand up to his neck where he remembered feeling the needle prick. There was nothing there, of course. He'd already pulled it out in the room. The spot was sore, however, and Ed remembered the grinning face of the man who had done this to him.

It had been _him_: That host, the sheriff's husband, John. Ed had spun around to find him standing there, his manic eyes full of triumph.

"_Got you..." John crowed at him, drawing the last syllable out._

_Ed snarled and opened his mouth to respond, but the drug had already started take effect. His vocal cords were frozen, allowing for only a hoarse gasp that sounded just vaguely like the words he'd meant to say. A matching insidious weakness was working its way through his muscles as well, threatening to drag them from Ed's control again._

_Fear washed over Ed. It drove him forward, his metal fist swinging for his attacker's head. The man dodged, his grin never wavering as he proved himself faster than Ed had thought anyone could be. Still, Ed fought through the surprise and forced his body to twist mid-move, bringing his left fist up in what was meant to be a punishing swing. _

_It connected, but not with enough force to do any kind of damage. The drug had already drained him too thoroughly. Ed felt a strange mixture of fury and horror at the realization that the bright red that smeared across John's cheek was his own blood. _

_Stumbling back, his balance nearly totally shot now, Ed stared at his own split knuckles and wondered how that had happened. The hard corner of the end table stabbed into his back, stopping him too late to save the lamp from crashing to the floor. It shattered as it landed, sending one large, heavy ceramic piece sailing over to the coffee table where it hit the books piled there. They, in turn, clattered to the floor, some skidding to a halt in front of the fireplace. _

_A fog was closing in over Ed's sight by then. He blinked, trying to clear it, but when he looked back at John, Ed found his attacker to be veiled in a thick layer of grey. _

"_Too bad we can't kill you yet, but you're still needed," John said, his voice sounding regretful. There was just a trace of malicious glee underlying the tone, however._

_Ed launched another automail punch again, but vertigo hit him as his arm flew forward. His body followed his punch, pitching forward to crumple at John's feet. He rolled and blinked up just in time to see John's fist hurtling towards him, and then unconsciousness swept over him._

Ed stifled a moan at the combination of embarrassment and fury at his own incompetence. How stupid did he have to be to have been caught so easily? If Roy didn't kill him for this, he was never going to let Ed live it down. The same with Al.

A small whimper managed to escape him before Ed even knew it was there. How could he be so careless? Al still needed him!

"He's awake," a voice Ed dimly recognized said from above him. Apparently, his brain was moving in slow motion along with the rest of his body.

Opening his eyes, Ed stared blearily up at John and Sheriff Tisdale. They both stared silently back at him, triumph on their faces.

So they had been in on it together! He'd been right! Now if he could just break free of this strange paralysis that held him, he could beat their heads in for what they'd done!

Exactly what had they given him to make his body so unresponsive anyway? Couldn't have been poison—they would need him alive for a little bit longer, right?

Ed felt another jolt of fear run through him, which he channeled into as strong a glare as he could manage while he fought to push himself up off of the hard concrete floor beneath him. He'd just managed to make it onto his elbows when a large hand pushed him back down again.

"Shh…" Sheriff Tisdale told him in a kind, soothing voice. "Don't try to move, young man. You'll just make things worse on yourself."

"Faaauttohfph…"

Tisdale snorted in amusement as John asked in an incredulous voice, "Did he just tell you to fuck off? That little sh—"

At the word little, Ed felt his normal rage flare brightly within him. He managed to push himself to his knees this time, his hands clapping together in front of him. The array blossomed in his mind, beautiful and perfect, as he slammed his hands back to the ground. Light, bright blue and crackling, appeared, but the array disintegrated in his mind just then. The light went wild and the power turned back on him, blasting him back down to the ground.

John's chuckles blended strangely with Ed's moan while Tisdale leaned over Ed, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Impressive. He's strong. Even managed to scorch the floor. I'll have to retrace those lines to be sure they weren't disturbed," Tisdale said with a look at the floor.

Ed turned his head and just managed to make out the thin white lines painted there. He had missed them before. Cursing silently, Ed wondered again what they had given him.

"He'll be the perfect experiment," Tisdale continued, heading back out of Ed's line of sight.

Letting his head roll to the side, Ed cringed internally at the cruel expression on John's face. Their eyes met briefly, sending a chill down Ed's spine, before the other turned to grant a beautiful and perfectly hopeful smile on Tisdale.

"And then I can have my baby, right?"

Stepping back into view next to John, Tisdale put down a paint bucket and reached out to tenderly caress his husband's cheek. "Of course, my love. We'll be able to have a baby, and then we'll go far, far away from here."

Pulling John hard against him, Tisdale kissed him as John clung to his shirt. They looked like every couple pictured on the sappy, saccharine dime store romance novel Al had a tendency to bring home whenever their search became too much for him. It was even more cringe-worthy in person than on those covers in Ed's opinion.

The fog began pressing in on Ed's sight again and he fought against it, trying hard to concentrate on those memories of watching Al reading or cuddling one of his rescued kittens. He had to escape! He couldn't die here! Not yet! Not yet!

The couple stopped kissing and looked over at him. Ed couldn't see their faces well enough now to make out their expressions.

"He seems to be going back under," John commented, sounding disappointed.

"It's alright," Tisdale said. "I don't think it matters so long as he was strong enough to wake up once. And he did hit his head. Let's just get him ready."

Ed finally lost his battle with the darkness once again as they reached for him.


End file.
